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Effects Of Circulating C‐Reactive Protein Levels On EPC Function
Author(s) -
Nissen Benjamin,
Fasing Kevin,
Greiner Jared,
Stauffer Brian,
DeSouza Christopher
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.680.1
Subject(s) - c reactive protein , endothelial progenitor cell , chemistry , medicine , staurosporine , vascular endothelial growth factor , apoptosis , in vitro , progenitor cell , endocrinology , andrology , immunology , inflammation , endothelial stem cell , biology , stem cell , vegf receptors , biochemistry , signal transduction , protein kinase c , genetics
In vitro, C‐reactive protein (CRP) impairs endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function; however, the influence of CRP on EPCs in vivo is unclear. We determined whether EPC function is impaired in adults with elevated plasma CRP concentrations, independent of other risk factors. EPCs were harvested from 75 adults (43 males, 32 females): 25 with low CRP (< 1.0 mg/L); 25 with moderate CRP (1.0–3.0 mg/L); and 25 with high CRP (> 3.0 mg/L). The capacity of EPCs to form colonies (colony assay), migrate (Boyden chamber), release angiogenic growth factor (ELISA) and resist apoptosis (active caspase‐3) was determined. There were no significant differences between the CRP groups in EPC colony formation (CFU), migration (AU) or the ability to release vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; pg/mL): low (13±3 CFU; 1255±100 AU; 126±24 pg/mL, respectively); moderate (11±3; 1137±85; 97±14); and high (13±4; 1071±80; 119±22) CRP. Staurosporine‐stimulated activation of caspase‐3 was also similar between the low (2.3±0.2 ng/mL), moderate (2.1±0.3 ng/mL), and high (2.2±0.2 ng/mL) CRP groups. These results indicate that elevations in plasma CRP are not associated with impaired EPC function. The negative in vitro effects of CRP on EPCs may be due to the contamination of commercially available CRP preparations with lipopolysaccharide and/or azide preservatives or the use of supraphysiological CRP concentrations.