The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells from septic patients are associated with different infectious organisms

Abstract

Background Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) can affect the repairment of endothelial injury by improving the process of re-endothelialization and angiogenesis in sepsis patients. However, the markers of EPCs have not been standardized nowadays, and the changes of EPCs are still unclear in patients with different infectious organisms. This study explored the relationship between the number of EPCs and different infectious organisms in patients with sepsis. Materials and Methods 39 septic patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The number of CD34+/KDR+, CD133+/KDR+, CD34+/CD133+/KDR+, CD34+, CD133+, and KDR+ cells were all analyzed through flow cytometry. Analysis of adhesion function of EPCs were also performed by counting the number of adherent cells in different cultured time points (4 days, 14 days, and 21 days). Results The number of EPCs in peripheral blood of septic patients were higher than that of healthy controls, but there were no significant differences between sepsis group and septic shock group, also between the survival group and the non-survival group. Additionally, the percentages of CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ cells in Gram-positive bacteremia group was significantly higher than the Gram-negative bacteremia group and negative blood culture group; the percentage of KDR+ cells in both Gram-positive bacteremia group and Gram-negative bacteremia group were significantly higher than the negative blood culture group. Furthermore, the adhesion function of EPCs in healthy controls was significantly higher than in septic patients. Conclusions The number of circulating EPCs and the adhesion function of EPCs in patients with sepsis are associated with different infectious organisms.