The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in healthy individuals – Effect of some anthropometric and environmental factors (a pilot study)

PurposeThe aim of the study was the evaluation of the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPCs) in healthy people and the assessment of the variability of quantitative of CEPCs after 6 weeks.Material and methodsThe study involved 48 healthy individuals; the group consisted of 24 men and 24 women; the mean age of 34. The criterion for the patients’ eligibility for the study was the absence of diabetes, thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure. Neither did the respondents take any medication that could clearly affect the value of the results. In the whole blood samples the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells was determined using flow cytometry. During the analysis the fluorescence of 100,000 cells was measured. CEPCs were identified with immunophenotype CD45−, CD31+, CD34+, CD133+.ResultsIn the study, the median of the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in the whole group was 0.41/μL. There was also recorded an increased number of CEPCs after 6 weeks, as compared to the baseline; the difference was significant. There were no differences in the number of CEPCs between the women and the men. There was found no effect on the number of CEPCs factors such as: smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption.ConclusionsThe study showed that in healthy individuals the gender had no essential effect on the number of endothelial progenitor cells. Based on the demographic and lifestyle data acquired, it is difficult to explain the increase number of CEPCs after 6 weeks.