Authors: Pelliccia, F.¹; Pasceri, V.²; Cianfrocca, C.¹; Vitale, C.³; Meoni, G.²; Pristipino, C.²; Speciale, G.²; Mercuro, G.⁴; Rosano, G.³

Source: Climacteric, Volume 12, Number 3, June 2009 , pp. 259-265(7)

Publisher: Informa Healthcare

Abstract:

Background Middle-aged women have a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with age-matched men, but mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain controversial. To verify whether there is a link between circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and gender-specific difference of CAD, we compared subpopulations of EPCs among postmenopausal normal women, patients with CAD, and age-matched men. Methods We studied 71 consecutive middle-aged patients with stable CAD (30 postmenopausal women and 41 men) and 40 middle-aged normal controls (20 postmenopausal women and 20 men). Blood samples were drawn at time of coronary angiography and subpopulations of EPCs were measured by flow cytometry. Results Women and men with CAD had similar age, risk factors, clinical presentation, left ventricular function, extension of CAD, and medical therapy at time of coronary angiography. Hematologic analysis showed that men and women with CAD had similar white cell count, mononuclear cells, and subpopulations of EPCs. Postmenopausal normal women, conversely, had significantly higher absolute numbers of CD34+, CD133+, CD105+ and CD14+ cells than other groups. Conclusions Increased numbers of subpopulations of EPCs in normal postmenopausal women might contribute to the gender-specific difference of CAD in middle age. Lack of difference in EPCs between women and men with CAD suggests that stem cells become unable to play a protective role when the disease is clinically evident.

Keywords: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE; ENDOTHELIALIZATION; ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS; POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN; STEM CELLS

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13697130802696191

Affiliations: 1: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome,Department of Cardiovascular and Neurologic Diseases, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 2: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome 3: Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy 4: Department of Cardiovascular and Neurologic Diseases, University of Cagliari, Cagliari

Publication date: 2009-06-01

More about this publication?

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• Terms & Conditions
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Obstetrics & Gynecology
• By this author: Pelliccia, F. ;  Pasceri, V. ;  Cianfrocca, C. ;  Vitale, C. ;  Meoni, G. ;  Pristipino, C. ;  Speciale, G. ;  Mercuro, G. ;  Rosano, G.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers