Apelin and vascular endothelial growth factor are associated with mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells after acute myocardial infarction

This study was designed to determine the levels of early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), apelin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived growth factor-1 (SDF-1) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to investigate the relationships between these cytokines and early EPCs. Early EPCs, defined as CD133+, KDR+, and CD34+ cells, were quantified by flow cytometry. The levels of early EPCs and those cytokines in AMI patients were significantly different from those with coronary artery disease or controls (P < 0.05). Plasma apelin levels were inversely correlated with Gensini score and early EPCs (both P < 0.01). Early EPCs, VEGF and SDF-1 showed different patterns of changes in AMI patients during the first 24 h. The trend in the change of early EPCs was proportionally correlated with that of VEGF (P < 0.05). AMI patients exhibited increased early EPCs with remarkably decreased apelin levels and enhanced VEGF levels.