Endothelial progenitor cell down-regulation in a mouse model of Kawasaki disease

Endothelial progenitor cell down-regulation in a

mouse model of Kawasaki disease

LIU Jun-feng;DU Zhong-dong;CHEN Zhi;LU Dun-xiang;LI Li;GUAN Yun-qian;WAN Sui-gui

【期刊名称】《中华医学杂志（英文版）》 【年(卷),期】2012(125)003

【摘要】Background Cardiovascular complications of Kawasaki disease (KD) are a common cause of heart disease in pediatric populations.Previous studies have suggested a role for endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in coronary artery lesions associated with KD.However,long-term observations of EPCs during the natural progression of this disorder are lacking.Using an experimental model of KD,we aimed to determine whether the coronary artery lesions are associated with down-regulation of EPCs.Methods To induce KD,C57BL/6 mice were administered an intraperitoneal injection of Lactobacillus casei cell wall extract (LCWE; phosphate buffered saline used as control vehicle).Study groups included:group A (14 days following LCWE injection),group B (56 days following LCWE injection) and group C (controls).Numbers of circulating EPCs (positively staining for both CD34 and FIk-1 while staining negative for CD45) were evaluated using flow cytometry.Bone marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in vitro to expand EPCs for functional analysis.In vitro EPC