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Gender and endothelial progenitor cell number in middle-aged adults

Artery Research volume 2, pages 156–160 (2008)Cite this article

Summary

Background

Between the ages of 45 and 65 years, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease is significantly lower in women compared with men. Circulating bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in vascular repair. Reduced EPC number is predictive of more cardiovascular events. It is currently unknown whether there is a sex-difference in EPC number in middle-aged adults.

Objective

We tested the hypothesis that circulating EPC number is higher in middle-aged women than men.

Methods

Peripheral blood samples were collected from 58 sedentary adults, 29 men (57 ± 1 years) and 29 women (58 ± 1 years). Mononuclear cells were isolated and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of cells negative for CD45 was performed for those positive for CD34, and triple positive for CD34, VEGFR-2, and CD133 according to the recommendations of the International Society for Hematotherapy and Graft Engineering.

Results

The number of CD45-/CD34+ and CD45-/CD34+/VEGFR-2+/CD133+ was not significantly different between women and men (0.055 ± 0.006% vs 0.069 ± 0.008% and 0.0013 ± 0.0003% vs 0.0018 ± 0.0004%, respectively).

Conclusions

These results demonstrate no sex-difference in EPC number in middle-age adults. Therefore, it is unlikely that differences in EPC number contribute to the gender-related differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular events in this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Integrative Vascular Biology Laboratory, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, UCB 436, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA

    Brian L. Stauffer, Owen J. MacEneaney, Erich J. Kushner, Jennifer N. Cech, Jared J. Greiner, Christian M. Westby & Christopher A. DeSouza

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Colorado at Denver and the Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO, USA

    Brian L. Stauffer & Christopher A. DeSouza

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO, USA

    Brian L. Stauffer

Authors
  1. Brian L. Stauffer
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  2. Owen J. MacEneaney
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  3. Erich J. Kushner
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  4. Jennifer N. Cech
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  5. Jared J. Greiner
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  6. Christian M. Westby
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  7. Christopher A. DeSouza
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Correspondence to Brian L. Stauffer.

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This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license. https://doi.org/creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Stauffer, B.L., MacEneaney, O.J., Kushner, E.J. et al. Gender and endothelial progenitor cell number in middle-aged adults. Artery Res 2, 156–160 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2008.10.001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2008.10.001

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Artery Research

ISSN: 1876-4401

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