circulating endothelial progenitor cells in kidney transplant patients肾移植患者循环内皮祖细胞.pdfVIP

Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Kidney Transplant Patients 1. 2. 1 3 1 Giovana S. Di Marco , Peter Rustemeyer , Marcus Brand , Raphael Koch , Dominik Kentrup , 1 4 2 ¨ 1 1 Alexander Grabner , Burkhard Greve , Werner Wittkowski , Hermann Pavenstadt , Martin Hausberg , 1 1 Stefan Reuter , Detlef Lang * ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ 1 Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik D, Universitatsklinikum Munster, Munster, Germany, 2 Institut fur Anatomie, Universitatsklinikum Munster, Munster, Germany, 3 Institut ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ fur Medizinische Informatik und Biomathematik, Universitatsklinikum Munster, Munster, Germany, 4 Institut fur Strahlenbiologie, Universitatsklinikum Munster, Munster, Germany Abstract Background: Kidney transplantation (RTx) leads to amelioration of endothelial function in patients with advanced renal failure. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may play a key role in this repair process. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of RTx and immunosuppressive therapy on the number of circulating EPCs. Methods: We analyzed 52 RTx patients (58 613 years; 33 males, mean 6 SD) and 16 age- and gender-matched subjects with normal kidney function (57617; 10 males). RTx patients received a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based (65%) or a CNI-free