Issue Archive

Statins contribute to enhancement of the number and the function of endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood

Zhu Junhui, Tao Qianmin, Chen Junzhu, Wang Xingxiang, Zhu Jianhua, Shang Yunpeng

Department of Cardiovasology, the First Affiliaated Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University. Hangzhou 310003, China

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether fluvastatin augments the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs),and promotes EPCs proliferation, migration and adhesion. Total mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. The cells were then plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. After being cultured for 7 d, the attached cells were stimulated with fiuvastatin (final concentrations: 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 #mu#mol/L), simvastatin (1 #mu#mol/L) or a vehicle for the respective time points (6, 12, 24 and 48 h). EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for DiLDL-uptake and lectin binding by direct fluorescent staining under a laser scanning confocal microscope. EPCs were further documented by demonstrating the expression of KDR,VEGFR-2 and AC133 with flow cytometry. EPCs proliferation, migration andin vitro vasculogenesis activity were assayed by MTT assay,modified Boyden chamber assay and in vitro vasculogenesis kit, respectively. EPCs adhesion assay was performed by replating it on fibronectin-coated dishes, and the adherent cells were then counted. In addition, we also studied EPCs culture assay of peripheral blood from fluvastatin-treated animals in vivo. Incubation of isolated human MNCs with fiuvastatin dose- and time-dependently increased the number of EPCs, while reached the maximum 24 h after the administration at 1 μmol/L, (2.5-fold increase, P＜0.05). Moreover, treatment of rats with fluvastatins elevated the number of EPCs (3-fold increase, P＜0.05), thus extending the in vitro data. In addition, fluvastatin also promoted EPC proliferation, migration, adhesion and in vitro vasculogenesis in a concentration-dependent manner. The effects of fluvastatin on EPCs were compared with those of simvastatin at the same concentration (1 #mu#mol/L), with a result of no statistical difference. The results of the present study define a novel mechanism of the action of statins: the augmentation of EPCs with enhanced functional activity.

Key words: Statins;Endothelial progenitor cells;Coronary artery disease;Vasculogenesis;Rat

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 　　E-mail:

Citing This Article：

Zhu Junhui, Tao Qianmin, Chen Junzhu, Wang Xingxiang, Zhu Jianhua, Shang Yunpeng. Statins contribute to enhancement of the number and the function of endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood. Acta Physiol Sin 2004; 56 (3): (in Chinese with English abstract).