Editorial
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Dec 26, 2012; 4(12): 312-326
Published online Dec 26, 2012. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v4.i12.312
Circulating endothelial and progenitor cells: Evidence from acute and long-term exercise effects
Matina Koutroumpi, Stavros Dimopoulos, Katherini Psarra, Theodoros Kyprianou, Serafim Nanas
Matina Koutroumpi, Stavros Dimopoulos, Serafim Nanas, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing and Rehabilitation Laboratory, 1st Critical Care Medicine Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
Katherini Psarra, Department of Immunology, Evangelismos Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
Theodoros Kyprianou, Critical Care Department, Nicosia General Hospital, 2029 Nikosia, Cyprus
Author contributions: Koutroumpi M wrote the first draft; Dimopoulos S contributed to the first draft and revised the manuscript; Psarra K and Kyprianou T revised the manuscript; and Nanas S gave the final review.
Correspondence to: Stavros Dimopoulos, MD, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing and Rehabilitation Laboratory, 1st Critical Care Medicine Department, Evaggelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece. a-icu@med.uoa.gr
Telephone: +30-697-3956974 Fax: +30-213-2041888
Received: August 30, 2012
Revised: October 31, 2012
Accepted: November 6, 2012
Published online: December 26, 2012
Abstract

Circulating bone-marrow-derived cells, named endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), are capable of maintaining, generating, and replacing terminally differentiated cells within their own specific tissue as a consequence of physiological cell turnover or tissue damage due to injury. Endothelium maintenance and restoration of normal endothelial cell function is guaranteed by a complex physiological procedure in which EPCs play a significant role. Decreased number of peripheral blood EPCs has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and high cardiovascular risk. In this review, we initially report current knowledge with regard to the role of EPCs in healthy subjects and the clinical value of EPCs in different disease populations such as arterial hypertension, obstructive sleep-apnea syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial disease, coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure. Recent studies have introduced the novel concept that physical activity, either performed as a single exercise session or performed as part of an exercise training program, results in a significant increase of circulating EPCs. In the second part of this review we provide preliminary evidence from recent studies investigating the effects of acute and long-term exercise in healthy subjects and athletes as well as in disease populations.

Keywords: Circulating endothelial cells; Circulating progenitor cells; Exercise; Cardiovascular disease