Physical activity and circulating endothelial progenitor cells: an intervention study

BACKGROUND: To assess the effect of a personalized physical activity programme on weight and circulating (CPC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in overweight and obese subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anthropometric measurements with body composition, cardiopulmonary test, maximal stress exercise test with maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max) ) and a series of biochemical analyses were taken before (T0) and after 3 months of physical activity (T1) in a total of 80 overweight and obese subjects. CPC and EPC were determined using flow cytometry and were defined as CD34+, CD133+ and CD34+/CD133+ for CPC and CD34+KDR+, CD133+KDR+ and CD34+CD133+KDR+ for EPC. RESULTS: At the end of the programme, we divided the population into two groups, compliant individuals (group A, n = 47) and noncompliant individuals (group B, n = 33). Group A reported significant reductions of weight by 3·1% (P < 0·0001) and fat mass by 4·4% (P < 0·0001), while group B showed a percentage of increase in fat mass by 1·5% at T1. In group A, a trend of increase at T1 for circulating levels of CPC and EPC was observed, reaching the statistical significance for all the three types of EPC. On the contrary, group B showed no significant increase in CPC and EPC. Furthermore, a significant correlation between decrease in fat mass and increase in CD133+/KDR+ EPC was reported in group A (r = 0·50; P = 0·04). CONCLUSION: Three months of physical activity significantly improved anthropometric measurements. A beneficial effect of increased number of EPC in compliant individuals, in relation to weight loss, was observed.