Prehypertension and endothelial progenitor cell function

• Published in: Journal of human hypertension Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 57 - 62
• Main Authors: MacEneaney, O J, DeSouza, C A, Weil, B R, Kushner, E J, Van Guilder, G P, Mestek, M L, Greiner, J J, Stauffer, B L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.01.2011; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/80/82/23; 631/80/84; 692/699/75/593; Apoptosis - physiology; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood vessels and receptors; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular diseases; Case-Control Studies; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Cell Movement - physiology; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Complications and side effects; Development and progression; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Epidemiology; Exercise; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Administration; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; original-article; Prehypertension - blood; Public Health; Risk factors; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - physiology; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system; endothelial progenitor cells; prehypertension; colony forming units; Hypertension; Cardiovascular disease; Endothelial cell
• ISSN: 0950-9240; 1476-5527; 1476-5527
• DOI: 10.1038/jhh.2010.31

Prehypertension is associated with significant damage to the coronary vasculature and increased rates of adverse cardiovascular events. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are critical to vascular repair and the formation of new blood vessels. We tested the hypothesis that prehypertension is associated with EPC dysfunction. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 83 middle-aged and older adults (51 male and 32 female): 40 normotensive subjects (age 53±2 years; BP 111/74±1/1 mm Hg) and 43 prehypertensive subjects (age 54±2 years; 128/77±1/1 mm Hg). EPCs were isolated from peripheral blood, and EPC colony-forming capacity (colony-forming unit (CFU) assay), migratory activity (Boyden chamber) and apoptotic susceptibility (active caspase-3 concentrations) were determined. There were no significant differences in the number of EPC CFUs (10±2 vs 9±1), EPC migration (1165±82 vs 1120±84 fluorescent units) or active intracellular caspase-3 concentrations (2.7±0.3 vs 2.3±0.2 ng ml −1 ) between the normotensive and prehypertensive groups. When groups were stratified into low prehypertension ( n =27; systolic blood pressure: 120–129 mm Hg) and high prehypertension ( n =16; 130–139 mm Hg), it was found that EPCs from the high prehypertensive group produced fewer (∼65%, P <0.05) CFUs compared with the low prehypertensive (4±1 vs 12±2) and normotensive adults. In conclusion, EPC colony-forming capacity is impaired only in prehypertensive adults with systolic BP greater than 130 mm Hg. Prehypertension is not associated with migratory dysfunction or enhanced apoptosis of EPCs.