Decreased Count and Dysfunction of Circulating EPCs in Postmenopausal Hypercholesterolemic Females via Reducing NO Production

Figures

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  Figure 1. The amount of circulating EPCs. Evaluated by (a) FACS analysis and (b) phase-contrast fluorescent microscope, the amount of circulating EPCs in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic males was almost equal to those in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal females. The EPC number in hypercholesterolemic males or postmenopausal women was lower than that in normocholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females. Data are given as mean ± SD. ☆p < 0.05 versus normocholesterolemia in the same sex group.

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  Figure 2. The activity of circulating EPCs. The migratory (a) and proliferative (b) activities of circulating EPCs in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic males were equal to those in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal females. The EPC function in hypercholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females was lower than that in normocholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females. Data are given as mean ± SD. ☆p < 0.05 versus normocholesterolemia in the same sex group.

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  Figure 3. The plasma NO, VEGF, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. (a) The plasma NO level in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic males was equal to that in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal females. The plasma NO level in hypercholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females was lower than that in normocholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females. (b, c) There was no significant difference in the plasma VEGF and GM-CSF level between the four groups. (d, e) There was no significant difference in the plasma TNF-α and IL-6 level between the four groups. Data are given as mean ± SD. ☆p < 0.05 versus normocholesterolemia in same sex group.

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  Figure 4. The NO, VEGF, GM-CSF, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by EPCs. (a) The NO secretion by EPCs in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic males was equal to that in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal females. The plasma NO level in hypercholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females was lower than that in normocholesterolemic males or postmenopausal females. (b, c) There was no significant difference in VEGF and GM-CSF secretion by EPCs between the four groups. (d–g) There was no significant difference in TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by EPCs between the four groups. Data are given as mean ± SD. ☆p < 0.05 versus normocholesterolemia in same sex group.

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  Figure 5. The correlation between circulating EPCs or NO level and FMD. The amount of circulating EPCs evaluated by FACS (a) or by cell culture (b) correlated with the FMD. There was a correlation between the EPC proliferation (c) or migration (d) and FMD. In addition, there was a correlation between the plasma NO level (e) or NO secretion by EPCs (f) and FMD.