Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and SDF-1α are increased in cerebral arteriovenous malformation patients

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate if circulating endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs)and stromal cell-derived factor-1α(SDF-1α) are increased in patients of cerebral arteriovenous malformation(AVM).Methods Fifteen AVM patients not receiving any treatment and 15 healthy people were included in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and EPCs was characterized by triple staining using antibodies against CD133, CD34, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(KDR). The percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells were analysised by flow cytometry. Serum concentrations of SDF-1α was determined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Results The percentage of circulating EPCs and concentrations of SDF-1α were significantly higher in AVM group than in control group(t=4.051,P﹪0.05 and t=3.606,P﹪0.05, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the percentage of circulating EPCs and concentrations of SDF-1αin AVM patients(r=0.461, P 0.05). However, there were no correlation either between the percentage of circulating EPCs and the size of AVM or between concentrations of SDF-1α and the size of AVM in AVM patients(r=0.092,P0.05 and r=0.027, P0.05 respectively). Conclusions The percentage of circulating EPCs and concentrations of SDF-1α are increased in AVM patients and the increase in the mobilization of EPCs from bone marrow may play a role in blood vessel remodeling and neovasculization in AVM patients.