Endothelial progenitor cells as a cardiometabolic risk factor marker in prediabetes
Angeliki Angelidi1, Andreas Melidonis1, Ioannis Protopsaltis1
1Diabetes Center, "Tzaneio" General Hospital of Piraeus; Greece.
Insights
Visceral fat is the primary factor influencing endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) levels in prediabetes. This finding links metabolic issues, cardiovascular risk, and vascular health in prediabetic individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Metabolic Syndrome Studies
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are emerging biomarkers for vascular integrity, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular risk.
- Understanding factors influencing EPC levels is crucial for managing prediabetes and associated risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key determinants of endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) levels in individuals diagnosed with prediabetes.
- To explore the relationship between EPCs and traditional cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic parameters, and body fat distribution.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of EPCs (CD34+CD133+VEGFR-2+) using flow cytometry in 39 prediabetic participants.
- Assessment of traditional risk factors, hs-CRP, HOMA-IR, and anthropometric/ultrasonographic fat measurements.
Main Results:
- Univariate analysis showed significant correlations between EPC levels and waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, hs-CRP, HOMA-IR, and visceral fat.
- Multivariate analysis identified visceral fat as the sole significant determinant of EPC levels (OR=0.79, p=0.032).
Conclusions:
- Visceral fat is the principal determinant of endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) levels in prediabetes.
- Visceral fat may bridge metabolic abnormalities, cardiovascular risk, and vascular homeostasis in prediabetic individuals.
Objective:
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have recently been considered as a potential novel marker of vascular integrity, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk. This study was performed to investigate the main determinants of EPC levels in individuals with prediabetes.
Design:
Thirty-nine participants with newly diagnosed prediabetes were enrolled. Flow cytometric analysis was used to quantify EPCs (CD34+CD133+VEGFR-2+). Traditional risk factors, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and anthropometric parameters, including ultrasonographic-determined visceral and subcutaneous fat, were recorded.
Results:
In univariate analysis, EPC levels significantly correlated with waist circumference (p=0.017), mean arterial pressure (p=0.009), total cholesterol (p=0.003), hs-CRP (p=0.006), HOMA-IR (p=0.031) and visceral fat (p=0.040). However, in stepwise multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis, only visceral fat retained its statistical significance (OR=0.79, 95%Cl:0.64-0.98, p=0.032).
Conclusions:
Visceral fat seems to be the main determinant of EPC levels in individuals with prediabetes and to form a plausible link between mild metabolic abnormalities, cardiovascular risk and vascular homeostasis process.
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