Angiogenic T-cells and putative endothelial progenitor cells in hypertension-related cerebral small vessel disease

Abstract

Background and purpose: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) may be caused by endothelial dysfunction, whereas endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) may attenuate endothelial dysfunction. Their vitality is lower in CSVD. A subset of lymphocytes, angiogenic T-cells, is capable to stimulate EPC function. The purpose of our study was to explore the relation between CSVD manifestations, angiogenic T-cells, and EPC in hypertensive patients with CSVD.

Methods: We compared 32 essential hypertensive patients with CSVD (white matter lesions, asymptomatic lacunar infarcts, or microbleeds on 1.5-Tesla MRI) to 29 age-matched and sex-matched hypertensive controls. We counted angiogenic T-cells (CD3(+)/CD31(+)/CD184(+)) and putative EPC (CD31(+)/CD34(+)/CD45(-)/KDR(+)) by flow cytometry and determined EPC vitality by in vitro cluster formation.

Results: Putative EPC numbers were lower in hypertensive individuals with CSVD than in those without (10±7(.)10(3)/mL versus 13±6(.)10(3)/mL [median±interquartile range]; P=0.011). Angiogenic T-cell numbers were also lower in hypertensive individuals with CSVD than in those without (0.56±0.25(.)10(9)/mL versus 0.78±0.50(.)10(9)/mL; P=0.008). Higher angiogenic T-cell numbers independently related to absence of CSVD (odds ratio, 0.088; 95% confidence interval, 0.012-0.627).

Conclusions: Our data suggest that angiogenic T-cells and putative EPC independently relate to radiological CSVD manifestations in hypertensive patients.