Circulating endothelial and progenitor cells: Evidence from acute and long-term exercise effects

Table 3 Effects of exercise training on endothelial progenitor cells in different disease populations

Subjects	n	Study group; age	Disease	Modality	Exercise prescription	Duration	Results	Limitations	Ref.
Mice	12	Exercise; Control	Advanced atherosclerotic lesions; Early atherosclerotic lesions	Aerobic	Voluntary running	8 wk	No change on advanced atherosclerotic lesions; ↑ EPC levels on early atherosclerotic lesions		[107]
Mice	10	Exercise; Control	After traumatic brain injury	Aerobic	Exercise group: Treadmill 22 m/min 30 min 7 d per week; Control group: No intervention	1 wk	↑ Neuronal stem cell		[108]
Male (n = 24); Female (n = 51)	64	Exercise (n = 32); Control (n = 32) 67.1 ± 8.4 yr old	Coronary artery disease	Aerobic + resistance exercise	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer, treadmill, rowing, steps, arm ergometer + dumbbell, weight training 80% of HRmax 50 min + (5 min warm-up and 5 min cool down) 3 sessions per week	8 wk	No change		[109]
Male (n = 92); Female (n = 20)	112	Exercise (n = 112) 58.2 ± 9.5 yr old	After acute coronary syndrome	Aerobic	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer 60%-70% of peak VO2 30 min + ( 5 min warm-up and 5 min cool down) 3 sessions per week	30 d	↑ EPC levels + ↓ pro-inflammatory markers	No controls; No homogeneity of population	[110]
Male (n = 20); Female (n = 10)	30	Exercise (n = 16); Control (n = 14) 67 ± 12 yr old	Hemodialysis	Aerobic	Exercise group: Treadmill/walking 50% max speed 10 min 2 sessions per day; Control group: No intervention	6 mo	No change	Small sample size; No standarized work	[111]
Male (n = 16); Female (n = 6)	22	Exercise (n = 22) 61.4 yr old (SE 1.60)	CHF NYHA II or III	Aerobic	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer 60% of HR reserve 45 min + (5 min warm-up and 5 min cool down) 3 sessions per week	8 wk	↑ EPC levels	No controls; No homogeneity of population	[112]
Male (n = 30); Female (n = 8)	38	Exercise (n = 21) 61.3 ± 2.2 yr old; Control (n = 17) 63.4 ± 3 yr old	CHF	Aerobic	Exercise group: 90% HR 60 min 3 sessions per week; Control group: No intervention	6 mo	Improves CAC migratory capacity; ↑ EPC levels	No randomization	[113]
Male (n = 16); Female (n = 12)	28	Exercise (n = 14) 72 ± 11 yr old; Control (n = 14) 73 ± 11 yr old	CHF Exercise NYHA II; Control NYHAI	Calistenics + aerobic	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer 75%-85% of HRmax 30 min 2 sessions per day 6 sessions per week; Control group: No intervention	3 wk	↑ EPC levels	Small sample size	[114]
Male	37	Exercise (n = 18) 60 ± 11 yr old; Control (n = 19) 62 ± 10 yr old	NYHA functional class IIIb	Aerobic + calisthenics + noncompetitive ball games	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer in hospital (50% of VO2max 5-20 min, 3-6 sessions per day, 3 wk) home exercise (60% of VO2max 20-30 min, 7 sessions per week, 12 wk) + 1 supervised session ( 60 min, walking, calisthenics, ball games); Control group: No intervention	12 wk	↑ EPC levels		[115]
Male	37	Exercise (n = 15) 65 ± 7 yr old; CHF control (n = 15) 63 ± 7 yr old; Healthy control (n = 7) 66 ± 4 yr old	NYHA functional class II	Aerobic	Exercise group: Bicycle ergometer HR of ventilatory threshold 30 min 5 sessions per week; Control groups: No intervention	3 mo	Exercise group ↑ EPC levels; Control patient group no change		[116]
Male (n = 24); Female (n = 16)	40	Exercise (n = 30) 69 ± 8 yr old; Control (n = 20) 70 ± 11 yr old	PAD	Aerobic	Exercise group: Treadmill intermittent walking 5-10 min warm-up 35-50 min 2 sessions per week; Control group: No exercise intervention	6 mo	↑ EPC levels		[117]
Male (n = 22); Female (n = 18), median age 48 yr	40	Exercise (n = 40); Group A (n = 21) compliant individuals; Group B (n = 19) noncompliant individuals	Overweight and obese BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²	Aerobic	Non supervised self reported walking briskly or moderate running 45 min HR @ the individual anaerobic threshold 3 sessions per week	3 mo	Group A ↑ EPC levels; Group B no change	Small sample size; Limited duration of follow-up; Non valid compliance measurement; Unable to distinguish which (exercise or weight change) contributed to the increased EPC levels	[118]

EPC: Endothelial progenitor cell; BMI: Body mass index; NYHA: New York Heart Association; CHF: Chronic heart failure; CAC: Circulating angiogenic cell; PAD: Peripheral arterial disease.