The Effect of Sex Differences on Endothelial Function and Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Hypertriglyceridemia

Figures

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  Figure 1. (a) fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. (b) Phase-contrast fluorescent microscope. There was no significant difference in the level of circulating EPCs between the normotriglyceridemic and the hypertriglyceridemic women. In both the normotriglyceridemic and hypertriglyceridemic patients, the number of EPCs in women groups was statically higher than that in the men groups. Data were presented as mean ans standard deviation. #vs premenopausal women.

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  Figure 2. (a) The migratory and (b) the proliferative activities of EPCs were statically elevated in the female groups (both normotriglyceridemic and hypertriglyceridemic) than those in the male groups. The migratory and the proliferative activities of EPCs were lower in the hypertriglyceridemic men group than those in the normotriglyceridemic men group. However, the migratory and the proliferative activities of EPCs in normotriglyceridemic premenopausal women were similar to those in hypertriglyceridemic premenopausal women. Data were presented as mean and standard deviation. ☆vs. normotriglyceridemic. #vs premenopausal women.

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  Figure 3. The plasma levels of NO, VEGF, and GM-CSF. (a) The plasma levels of NO in normotriglyceridemic and hypertriglyceridemic men were statically lower than those in the female groups (P < 0.05). In the male groups, the level of NO was decreased in hypertriglyceridemic subjects than that in normotriglyceridemic subjects (P < 0.05). The plasma levels of NO between normotriglyceridemic and hypertriglyceridemic premenopausal female groups displayed no significant difference (P > 0.05). (b) and (c) The plasma level of VEGF and GM-CSF had no statistical difference between the four groups.

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  Figure 4. The levels of NO, VEGF, and GM-CSF secreted by cultured EPCs. (a) The level of NO produced by cultured EPCs of the normotriglyceridemic and hypertriglyceridemic men groups was remarkably lower than that of the premenopausal women groups. Besides, the secretion of NO from hypertriglyceridemic men was statically elevated compared with that from normotriglyceridemic men. Nevertheless, the level of NO in the EPCs cultural media of the hypertriglyceridemic premenopausal women was not significantly different from that of the normotriglyceridemic premenopausal women). (b) and (c) There was no obvious difference in VEGF or GM-CSF secretion between four groups.

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  Figure 5. The correlation between FMD and EPCs or NO level. (a) and (b) There was a positive relevance between FMD and the proliferative or migratory activity of circulating ECPs. Besides, (c) and (d) FMD was positively correlated with the plasma NO level or NO level detected from cultured media.