Effects of 'Living High-Training Low' on the Proliferative Capacity of Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Peripheral Blood of Rats / 中国运动医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective We investigated if the proliferative capacity of endothelial progenitor cells was affected by hypoxia and exercise. Methods Twenty four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly and averagely divided into 4 groups (1) living at low altitude (LL), (2) living and training at low altitude (LLTL), (3) living at high altitude (LH), and (4) living at high altitude and training at low altitude (LHTL). Eight-week incremental treadmill exercise and hypoxic simulation were used to establish LHTL animal model. Mononuclear cells from peripheral blood were obtained by density gradient centrifugation 12 hours by the end of 8-week experiment. The cells were suspended in conditioned medium 199 for culturing in vitro. Their phenotypes were confirmed by uptake of acetylated LDL and binding of fluoresce in isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1) lectin. Inverted microscopic observation was used to identify the morphological changes in endothelial progenitor cells and measure the cell count. Results Adherent cells and early CFUs in groups LLTL, LH and LHTL increased more obviously than in group LL(P0.05). Conclusion Proliferative capacity of endothelial progenitor cells can be promoted by both hypoxic stimulation and exercise, and the promotion is more significant if combination of hypoxia and exercise was employed simultaneously.