Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
et al., 2008; Mobius-Winkler et al., 2009
) But not only physical exercise
increases EPC counts. The intake of red wine also increases the amount
and the functional capacity of EPC (
Huang et al., 2010
). And the functional
capacity or cell activity is also an important part that can be influenced by
external factors. A factor that negatively influences the migratory and pro-
liferative functions of EPC is smoking (
Michaud et al., 2006
). Further, var-
ious risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), such as
hypercholesterolemia and smoking, affect the number and functional activ-
ity of EPCs in healthy volunteers (
Hill et al., 2003; Vasa et al., 2001
). In addi-
tion, age again is a factor that influences not only the amount of EPCs but
also their activities (
Heiss et al., 2005
). Taken together EPC levels and func-
tion are age related and can be influenced by nutrition.
3.2. EPC in disease
3.2.1 Cardiovascular disease
The improvement of cardiovascular diseases was one of the first points of
interest for EPC-related research. The basic research concentrated mostly
on the ischemic hind limb and MI in mice and rats (
Asahara et al., 1997;
Kocher et al., 2001; Murohara et al., 2000
). Only shortly thereafter, the first
studies emerged in which
in vitro
expanded EPC or mobilization of
BM-EPC was used to improve the outcome in MI (
Aicher et al., 2003a;
Leone et al., 2006a,b
). This was based on different studies that had made
a connection between EPC and the regeneration of ischemic myocardium
by modulation of both angiogenesis and myogenesis in the ischemic cardiac
muscle (
Jackson et al., 2001; Kawamoto et al., 2001; Kocher et al., 2001
).
Data from a clinical study also suggested that improved myocardial per-
fusion after intracoronary administration of BM-derived cells in patients
after an AMI (
Strauer et al., 2002
) and in a second study the infusion of pro-
genitor cells into the infarct artery enhanced the neovascularization leading
to a left ventricular remodeling (
Assmus et al., 2002
). It was found that
ex vivo
purified BM-EPC had a higher rate of incorporation (7-20%) than
the peripheral mobilized EPC (2%;
Aicher et al., 2003b; Urbich et al., 2003
).
But still the concrete mechanisms of EPC and their function remained
unclear. However, EPCs additionally incorporated into the newly formed
vessel structures and showed endothelial marker protein expression
in vivo
(
Urbich and Dimmeler, 2004
).
However, the role of EPC in cardiovascular diseases seems to be far more
complex. Further, Walter et al. proved that EPCs could home to denuded
parts of an artery after balloon injury (
Walter and Dimmeler, 2002
). Similar
results were reported by
Griese et al. (2003)
, who demonstrated that infused
Search WWH ::
Custom Search