Increased Mobilization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients With Essential Hypertension: The Effect of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Stem cells have great clinical significance in many cardiovascular diseases. However, there are limited data regarding the involvement of mesenchymal stem cells ( MSC s) in the pathophysiology of arterial hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the circulation of MSC s in patients with essential hypertension. The authors included 24 patients with untreated essential hypertension and 19 healthy individuals. Using flow cytometry, MSC s in peripheral blood, as a population of CD 45−/ CD 34−/ CD 90+ cells and also as a population of CD 45−/CD34−/CD105+ cells, were measured. The resulting counts were translated into the percentage of MSC s in the total cells. Hypertensive patients were shown to have increased circulating CD 45−/ CD 34−/ CD 90+ compared with controls (0.0069%±0.012% compared with 0.00085%±0.0015%, respectively; P =.039). No significant difference in circulating CD 45−/ CD 34−/ CD 105+ cells was found between hypertensive patients' and normotensive patients' peripheral blood (0.018%±0.013% compared with 0.015%±0.014%, respectively; P =.53). Notably, CD 45−/ CD 34−/ CD 90+ circulating cells were positively correlated with left ventricular mass index ( LVMI ) (r=0.516, P <.001). Patients with essential hypertension have increased circulating MSC s compared with normotensive patients, and the number of MSC s is correlated with LVMI . These findings contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of hypertension and might suggest a future therapeutic target.