Researchers at University of Siena target heart disease
2009 AUG 3 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and CXCR4-positive cells are decreased in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD); however, their ability to change in response to acute vascular injury remains to be elucidated. Progenitor and CXCR4-positive cells were analysed by flow cytometry from the peripheral blood of 23 healthy controls and 23 patients with CAD, of which 13 patients underwent angiogram and 10 patients received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation," researchers in Siena, Italy report. "Baseline levels of progenitor and CXCR4-positive cells were substantially reduced in CAD patients compared to controls, although they were still capable of increasing in response to vascular injury. Levels of progenitor and CXCR4-positive cells were increased to a greater extent in the PCI group compared to angiogram patients. At presentation, levels of putative endothelial progenitor and CXCR4-positive cells were found to be negatively correlated with disease severity. A one-year follow-up revealed that out of the cell populations examined, only levels of CXCR4-positive cells were positively correlated with angina frequency in the PCI group, but not in patients receiving angiogram. Baseline levels of progenitor cells are differentially increased depending upon the severity of vascular injury incurred, regardless of a significant deficit in baseline levels in CAD patients," wrote C.G. Egan and colleagues, University of Siena. The researchers concluded: "Levels of putative EPCs and CXCR4-positive cells were negatively correlated with disease severity at presentation, however, only CXCR4-positive cells were associated with patient condition in a one-year follow-up.." Egan and colleagues published their study in Thrombosis and Haemostasis (Reduced levels of putative endothelial progenitor and CXCR4+ cells in coronary artery disease: Kinetics following percutaneous coronary intervention and association with clinical characteristics. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 2009;101(6):1138-1146). For additional information, contact V. Sorrentino, University of Siena, Dept. of Neuroscience, Molecular Med Sect, Via A Moro, I-53100 Siena, Italy. Publisher contact information for the journal Thrombosis and Haemostasis is: Schattauer GmbH-Verlag Medizin Naturwissenschaften, Holderlinstrasse 3, D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany. Keywords: Italy, Siena, Angiology, Angioplasty, Cardiology, Coronary Artery Disease, Cytometry, Haemostasis, Heart Disease, Progenitor Cell, Stem Cell Research, Thrombosis, University of Siena. This article was prepared by Cardiovascular Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Cardiovascular Week via NewsRx.com.
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