Changes of peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells level and their mobilization mechanism in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective To explore the changes of peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) level and their mobilization mechanism in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) to provide new ideas for the control of ischemic stroke. Methods Fifty patients with first onset of ACI within 24 h of onset, admitted to our hospital from January 1 to December 31, 2015, were enrolled; 40 healthy subjects were chosen as control group. The number of EPCs (surface markers: CD133+ kinase domain receptor+) was detected using flow cytometry in the ACI group on one, 5, and 10 d of ACI and the control group. And the EPCs changed rate was defined as (EPCs5 d-EPCs1 d) and EPCs1d ratio. Meanwhile, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) contents were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results The number of EPCs, and VEGF and SDF-1 contents increased gradually on day 5 and decreased on day 10 of ACI. The EPCs number in the ACI group was significantly smaller on day one, 5, and 10 of ACI than control group (P<0.05); VEGF and SDF-1 contents of peripheral blood on day 5 and 10 of ACI were significantly increased as compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). EPCs changed rate was positively correlated with VEGF and SDF-1 contents on day 5 in ACI group (r= 0.639, P=0.000; r=0.553, P=0.000). And VEGF content was positively correlated with SDF-1 content (r=0.765, P=0.000). Conclusions EPCs level may be an important factor for ACI. The mechanism of EPCs mobilization may be associated with increased expressions of VEGF and SDF-1 after ACI. Key words: Acute cerebral infarction; Endothelial progenitor cell; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Stromal cell-derived factor-1; Mobilization