Hepatocyte growth factor protects endothelial progenitor cell from damage of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Risk factors for coronary heart disease including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can reduce the number and activity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), thereby hindering their usefulness for treating cardiovascular disease in transplants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) can protect EPCs from the inhibition caused by LDL cholesterol. EPCs derived from mouse bone marrow were isolated and cultured in medium supplemented with different concentrations of LDL cholesterol.