Association of Endothelial Microparticles (EMP) and Endothelial Progenitors with Serum Cholesterol Levels.

INTRODUCTION: High cholesterol (HC) is known to adversely affect endothelial cells (EC) and has been shown to correlate with decreased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPC). We assayed endothelial microparticles (EMP), a sensitive indicator of EC perturbation, to investigate relations among HC, CEPC, and injury of coronary artery endothelial cells (CAEC), both in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS: Twelve subjects with normal cholesterol (150 ±30 mg/dL, control) and 12 with HC (250 ±25) were studied. EMP were assayed by flow cytometry using fluorescent antibodies and CAEC were cultured as previously described [Jimenez et al, Thromb Res 109:175, 2003]. CEPC were isolated, cultured, and assayed for endothelial colony formation (CFU) as described [Hill et al, NEJM 348:593, 2003].

RESULTS: Comparing the two groups, EMP measured by CD31+/CD42b− were nearly 2.5-fold elevated in HC as compared to controls (1.7 ±0.5 ×10⁶/mL vs.0.35 ±0.02 ×10⁶/mL; p<0.01). Cholesterol levels correlated well with this measure of EMP (R=0.60, p=0.002). However, no significant correlation was found between CD62E+ EMP and cholesterol levels. Assay of CEPC revealed a nearly 2.5-fold decrease in CFU in HC vs. controls (10 ±2 vs. 25 ±4; p<0.01). In studies in vitro, CEPC from controls were cultured in presence of 20% 0.1μm filtered plasma from members of both groups. The HC group plasma inhibited CEPC colony formation by almost 50% (23 ±3.5 CFU for control plasma vs. 13 ±4 colonies for HC plasma). We next assessed the longer-term effect of HC plasma on CAEC cultures. Six-day culture of CAEC in the presence of 20% plasma resulted in a significant increase of CD31+/CD42b− EMP from CAEC treated with HC plasma vs. normal plasma (6.5 ±0.7 ×10⁶/mL vs. 0.23 ±0.03 ×10⁶/mL; p=0.02).

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EMP are useful markers to monitor cholesterol mediated-EC changes. High EMP levels inversely reflect the vascular endothelial cell regeneration potential due to decreased circulating endothelial progenitor cells.