Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in systemic sclerosis: relation to impaired angiogenesis and cardiovascular manifestations.

Objective: Given the essential role of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in endothelial repair and neovascularization, it is likely that insufficient angiogenesis seen in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is related to EPC alterations. The present study was aimed to analyze in SSc the number of circulating EPCs and their contribution into cardiovascular involvement.

Methods: EPC (CD34+VEGF-R2+ and CD133+VEGF-R2+) circulating levels were evaluated in 40 SSc patients and 24 controls by FACS; their correlations with peripheral vascular manifestations, heart involvement, Framingham risk score, carotid artery disease, endothelial function and morphological signs of microangiopathy were studied.

[Regulation of intracellular cholesterol synthesis in hypercholesterolemia by glucocorticoids].

The rate of endogenous cholesterol synthesis in blood lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts from patients with type IIa hyperlipidemia was found to be increased in comparison with healthy donors. The cells of hyperlipidemic patients had lowered levels of glucocorticoid receptors concomitantly with a partial loss of their sensitivity to glucocorticoids. In fibroblasts from patients with hereditary hypercholesteremia of homozygous type the number of glucocorticoid receptors did not exceed 10% of their content in normal cells.

[Role of sex hormones in the development of atherogenic dyslipoproteinemia in boys of pubertal age].

Interrelationships of hypercholesterolemia (HCS), hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) or hypo-alpha-cholesterolemia (hypo-CS HDL) and the blood levels of sex hormones were investigated in boys aged 14-15 to detect variations in the levels of sex hormones to define groups of adolescents at the highest risk of developing atherogenic dyslipoproteinemia (DLP). A conclusion has been made that HCS and hypo-CS HDL development is associated with changes in the blood levels of testosterone and estradiol, and a low blood level of T in HTG is of secondary origin with regard to the development of this type of DLP.

[Endocrine status changes in children with bronchial asthma].

A study was made of adrenocortical function by measuring blood plasma cortisol concentration and amount of glucocorticoid receptors in lymphocytes as well as thyroid function by measuring blood plasma triidothyronine and thyroxine concentration in 58 bronchial asthma children aged 1 to 14 years. The authors revealed alterations in the functional activity of the indicated endocrine glands depending on the intensity of bronchial patency disorders and the nature of the therapeutic measures carried out.