RESUMO
Introduction: Cells collected from Wharton's jelly are a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells. They can be easily obtained and grown using the adhesive method. They produce many types of proteins, including VEGF. Their role is to participate in angiogenesis, vasodilation, stimulation of cells to migrate, and chemotactic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of genes from the vascular endothelial growth factor family: VEGFA, VEGFB and VEGFC in MSC and the analysis of dependence of the expression of the studied genes on clinical factors related to the course of pregnancy and childbirth, and health of mother and child. Material and Methods: The research material was an umbilical cord obtained from 40 patients hospitalized in the Department of Obstetrics and Pathology of Pregnancy of the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No.1 in Lublin. The age of the women was 21-46, all gave birth by cesarean section. Some of the patients suffered from hypertension and hypothyroidism. Material collected from patients immediately after delivery was subjected to enzymatic digestion with type I collagenase. The isolated cells were then cultured in adherent conditions, and then gene expression was assessed using qPCR and the immunophenotype of the cells was assessed cytometrically. Results: Conducted studies have shown significant differences in expression of VEGF family genes depending on clinical condition of mother and child. Significant differences in VEGF-family gene expression level in umbilical cord MSC collected from women with hypothyroidism, hypertension, time of labor and birth weight of the baby were shown. Conclusion: Probably due to hypoxia (caused, for example, by hypothyroidism or hypertension), the MSCs found in the umbilical cord may react with an increased expression of VEGF and a compensatory increase in the amount of secreted factor, the aim of which is, i.a., vasodilation and increase of blood supply to the fetus through the umbilical vessels.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: The 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 METHODS: The 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+. RESULTS: In 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. CONCLUSIONS: The 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.