Downregulated GTCPH I/BH4 Pathway and Decreased Function of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Their Relationship with Endothelial Dysfunction in Overweight Postmenopausal Women

Figures

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  Figure 1. The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was evaluated as follows: by (a) fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis and (b) phase-contrast fluorescent microscopy. The number of circulating EPCs in normal weight and overweight men was similar to that in normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women. The EPC number in overweight men and postmenopausal women was also similar to that in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. Data are given as the mean ± standard deviation (SD). ∗p < 0.05 versus normal weight.

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  Figure 2. The activity of circulating EPCs was evaluated as follows. The migratory (a) and proliferative (b) activities of circulating EPCs in normal weight and overweight men were similar to those in normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women. EPC function was lower in overweight men and postmenopausal women than in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. Data are given as the mean ± SD. ∗p < 0.05 versus normal weight.

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  Figure 3. Plasma NO, VEGF, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were evaluated as follows. (a) The plasma NO level in normal weight and overweight men was similar to that in normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women. The plasma NO level was lower in overweight men and postmenopausal women than in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. There were no significant differences in the plasma (b) VEGF or (c) GM-CSF levels among the four groups. There were no significant differences in the plasma (d) TNF-α or (e) IL-6 levels among the four groups. Data are given as the mean ± SD. ∗p < 0.05 versus normal weight.

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  Figure 4. NO, VEGF, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and IL-6 secretion by EPCs were evaluated as follows. (a) NO secretion by EPCs in normal weight and overweight men was similar to that in normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women. The plasma NO level was lower in overweight men and postmenopausal women than in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. There was no significant difference in (b) VEGF or (c) GM-CSF secretion by EPCs among the four groups. There was no significant difference in (d) TNF-α or (e) IL-6 secretion by EPCs among the four groups. Data are given as the mean ± SD. ∗p < 0.05 versus normal weight.

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  Figure 5. The correlation between the migratory and proliferative capacities of circulating EPCs, and NO level, and FMD was evaluated as follows. There was a correlation between EPC migration (a, b) and FMD. There was also a correlation between the plasma NO level (c) and NO secretion by EPCs (d) and FMD.

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  Figure 6. The CTCPH I/BH4 pathway and the phosphorylation of eNOS in circulating EPCs. The levels of GTCPH I (a) and intracellular BH4 (b) in EPCs were lower in overweight men and postmenopausal women than in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. There was no difference in the level of GTCPH I (a) or intracellular BH4 (b) in EPCs between normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women and men. No significant difference was found in either eNOS phosphorylation (c) or eNOS protein expression (d) in EPCs among the four groups. Representative photographs and quantitative analyses of GTCPH I and p-eNOS protein expression in cultured EPCs (e). ∗p < 0.05 versus normal weight.