The Effect of Sex Differences on Endothelial Function and Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Hypertriglyceridemia

Zi Ren; Jiayi Guo; Xingxing Xiao; Jiana Huang; Manchao Li; Ruibin Cai; Haitao Zeng

doi:10.1155/2020/2132918

The Effect of Sex Differences on Endothelial Function and Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Hypertriglyceridemia

Cardiol Res Pract. 2020 Sep 21:2020:2132918. doi: 10.1155/2020/2132918. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Zi Ren¹, Jiayi Guo¹, Xingxing Xiao¹, Jiana Huang¹, Manchao Li¹, Ruibin Cai², Haitao Zeng¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Reproductive Medicine, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China.
² Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.

Abstract

Background: Men have a higher risk and earlier onset of cardiovascular diseases compared with premenopausal women. Hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of ischemic heart disease. Endothelial dysfunction is related to the development of ischemic heart disease. Whether sex differences will affect the circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and endothelial function in hypertriglyceridemia patients or not is not clear.

Methods: Forty premenopausal women and forty age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched men without cardiovascular and metabolic disease were recruited and then divided into four groups: normotriglyceridemic women (women with serum triglycerides level <150 mg/dl), hypertriglyceridemic women (women with serum triglycerides level ≥150 mg/dl), normotriglyceridemic men (men with serum triglycerides level <150 mg/dl), and hypertriglyceridemic men (men with serum triglycerides level ≥150 mg/dl). Peripheral blood was obtained and evaluated. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), the number and activity of circulating EPCs, and the levels of nitric oxide (NO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in plasma and culture medium were measured.

Results: The number and activity of circulating EPCs, as well as the level of NO in plasma or culture medium, were remarkably increased in premenopausal females compared with those in males both in the hypertriglyceridemic group and the normotriglyceridemic group. The EPC counts and activity, as well as the production of NO, were restored in hypertriglyceridemic premenopausal women compared with those in normal women. However, in hypertriglyceridemic men, the EPC counts and activity, as well as levels of NO, were significantly reduced. The values of VEGF and GM-CSF were without statistical change.

Conclusions: The present study firstly demonstrated that there were sex differences in the number and activity of circulating EPCs in hyperglyceridemia patients. Hypertriglyceridemic premenopausal women displayed restored endothelial functions, with elevated NO production, probably mediated by estradiol. We provided a new insight to explore the clinical biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for hypertriglyceridemia-related vascular damage.