Level of CD14+-endothelial progenitor cells is not associated with coronary artery disease or cardiovascular risk factors

There is evidence for two subpopulations among circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), i.e., CD34+-EPCs and CD14+-EPCs. Prior studies on the relationship between the level of EPCs and coronary artery disease (CAD), either did not distinguish between the two types of EPCs or studied only CD34+-EPCs. We therefore investigated whether the number of circulating CD14+-EPCs correlates with either CAD and/or cardiovascular risk factors. Circulating CD14+-EPCs—as defined by the surface markers CD14+KDR+—were analyzed by flow cytometry in 100 individuals [34 control subjects, 41 patients with stable CAD and 25 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS)]. The level of circulating CD14+-EPCs was not significantly different in patients with normal coronary arteries compared to those with stable CAD or ACS. Neither was there any association between the severity of CAD or risk factors and the number of circulating CD14+-EPCs. Thus, the number of circulating CD14+-EPCs was not significantly correlated either with the severity of coronary disease or with cardiovascular risk factors.