Exercise acutely increases circulating endothelial progenitor cells and monocyte-/macrophage-derived angiogenic cells.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether a single episode of exercise could acutely increase the numbers of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and cultured/circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) in human subjects. BACKGROUND: Endothelial progenitor cells and CACs can be isolated from peripheral blood and have been shown to participate in vascular repair and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that exercise may acutely increase either circulating EPCs or CACs. METHODS: Volunteer subjects (n = 22) underwent exhaustive dynamic exercise. Blood was drawn before and after exercise, and circulating EPC numbers as well as plasma levels of angiogenic growth factors were assessed. The CACs were obtained by culturing mononuclear cells and the secretion of multiple angiogenic growth factors by CACs was determined. RESULTS: Circulating EPCs (AC133+/VE-Cadherin+ cells) increased nearly four-fold in peripheral blood from 66 +/- 27 cells/ml to 236 +/- 34 cells/ml (p < 0.05). The number of isolated CACs increased 2.5-fold from 8,754 +/- 2,048 cells/ml of peripheral blood to 20,759 +/- 4,676 cells/ml (p < 0.005). Cultured angiogenic cells isolated before and after exercise showed similar secretion patterns of angiogenic growth factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that exercise can acutely increase EPCs and CACs. Given the ability of these cell populations to promote angiogenesis and vascular regeneration, the exercise-induced cell mobilization may serve as a physiologic repair or compensation mechanism.

Reduced pericardial levels of endostatin correlate with collateral development in patients with ischemic heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether pericardial levels of a pro-angiogenic factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) or an anti-angiogenic factor (endostatin) related to the presence of coronary collateral circulation in patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: Coronary collateralization favorably alters the prognosis of patients with occlusive CAD. The specific factors that mediate and maintain collateral formation in coronary vessel occlusion are yet to be identified. METHODS: Coronary angiograms from 39 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were evaluated for the absence of collaterals (n = 20) or the presence of Rentrop classification grade 3 collaterals (n = 19). Pericardial fluid samples were obtained at the time of surgery and were assayed for the VEGF and endostatin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay comparing the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Vascular endothelial growth factor levels were not significantly different between the groups (28.86 +/- 4.67 pg/ml vs. 24.39 +/- 3.08 pg/ml, p = 0.43). However, pericardial fluid endostatin levels were nearly 40% lower in patients with grade 3 collateralization compared with those lacking angiographic evidence of collaterals (15.17 +/- 1.87 ng/ml vs. 24.25 +/- 2.08 ng/ml, p < 0.0025). CONCLUSIONS: Pericardial fluid levels of endostatin, but not VEGF, are associated with the presence or absence of collaterals in patients with CAD. These data suggest that the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin levels may locally modulate coronary collateral formation.

Widespread regional myocardial transfection by plasmid encoding Del-1 following retrograde coronary venous delivery.

This study quantifies myocardial transfection following percutaneous retrograde coronary venous delivery (RCVD) of a plasmid encoding human Del-1. RCVD of Del-1, GFP plasmid, or marker dye was conducted in 14 pigs. After selective cannulation of a coronary vein, a delivery site was confirmed by contrast injection and myocardial blush. Ten milliliters of plasmid hDel-1 or GFP was administered. Animals were euthanized 3 and 7 days post-RCVD. hDel-1 gene expression was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR. An average myocardial expression of 4.5 x 10(5) copies hDel-1/microg total RNA was observed within the approximately 5 x 5 cm(2) target tissue of the left ventricle. GFP expression was detected by fluorescent microscopy. hDel-1 protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Regionalized myocardial expression was found in all pigs. hDel-1 RNA was not found in distant tissues except in the three pigs with prominent venovenous washout (PVW). These levels were 3 to 4 log unites lower than those found in myocardium. Single retrograde coronary venous administration resulted in efficient regional myocyte transfection of hDel-1 and GFP. This method may be useful and clinically feasible for myocardial angiogenesis therapy.