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Endothelial progenitor cell number and colony-forming capacity in overweight and obese adults

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 219–225 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate whether adiposity influences endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) number and colony-forming capacity.

Design:

Cross-sectional study of normal weight, overweight and obese adult humans.

Participants:

Sixty-seven sedentary adults (aged 45–65 years): 25 normal weight (body mass index (BMI) ⩽25 kg/m2; 12 males/13 females); 18 overweight (BMI=25–29.9 kg/m2; 12 males/6 females); and 24 obese (BMI ⩾30 kg/m2; 18 males/6 females). All participants were non-smokers and free of overt cardiometabolic disease.

Measurements:

Peripheral blood samples were collected and circulating EPC number was assessed by flow cytometry. Putative EPCs were defined as CD45−/CD34+/VEGFR-2+/CD133+ or CD45−/CD34+ cells. EPC colony-forming capacity was measured in vitro using a colony-forming unit (CFU) assay.

Results:

Number of circulating putative EPCs (either CD45−/CD34+/VEGFR-2+/CD133+ or CD45−/CD34+ cells) was lower (P<0.05) in obese (0.0007±0.0001%; 0.050±0.006%) compared with overweight (0.0016±0.0004%; 0.089±0.019%) and normal weight (0.0015±0.0003%; 0.082±0.008%) adults. There were no differences in EPC number between the overweight and normal weight groups. EPC colony formation was significantly less in the obese (6±1) and overweight (4±1) compared with normal weight (9±2) adults.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that: (1) the number of circulating EPCs is lower in obese compared with overweight and normal weight adults; and (2) EPC colony-forming capacity is blunted in overweight and obese adults compared with normal weight adults. Impairments in EPC number and function may contribute to adiposity-related cardiovascular risk.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all of the participants who participated in the study as well as Jeremy Stoner and Yoli Casas for their technical and administrative assistance. This study was supported by National Institutes of Health Awards HL076434, HL077450 and RR00051, American Heart Association Award 0555678Z and an American Diabetes Association Clinical Research Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Physiology, Integrative Vascular Biology Laboratory, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA

    O J MacEneaney, E J Kushner, G P Van Guilder, J J Greiner, B L Stauffer & C A DeSouza

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA

    B L Stauffer & C A DeSouza

  3. Department of Medicine, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA

    B L Stauffer

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  1. O J MacEneaney
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  2. E J Kushner
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Correspondence to C A DeSouza.

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MacEneaney, O., Kushner, E., Van Guilder, G. et al. Endothelial progenitor cell number and colony-forming capacity in overweight and obese adults. Int J Obes 33, 219–225 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.262

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