Proteomic analysis of oxidative modification in endothelial colony-forming cells treated by hydrogen peroxide

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) which circulate in the peripheral blood and reside in blood vessels are proven to promote the repair of damaged endothelium and improve the function of endothelial cells after vascular injury. Recently, EPCs have been extensively studied as risk biomarkers and a potential therapeutic tool for cardiovascular disease. It is known that oxidative stress is one of the most important pathogenetic factors impairing endothelial function. During the repair process after endothelial injury, EPCs are exposed to oxidative stress. In this study, we treated endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as an oxidative stress model and observed the changes in cytology and morphology of ECFCs. In addition, we investigated the alterations in oxidative levels of proteins associated with H₂O₂-induced morphological and cytological changes in ECFCs by proteomic analysis of oxidative modification. The results showed that H₂O₂ treatment led to a decreased proliferation, increased apoptosis and impaired tube-forming ability of ECFCs in a dose-dependent manner. Five proteins with upregulated oxidative levels were identified successfully. The upregulated oxidative levels of these five proteins may be responsible for the dysfunction of ECFCs under oxidative stress. Our results may provide some novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress action on ECFCs.