Endothelial Microparticles as Potential Biomarkers in the Assessment of Endothelial Dysfunction in Hypercholesterolemia.

Background and Objectives : Endothelial microparticles (EMP) particularly CD31 + /42 - /AV + , CD144 + /AV + and CD62e + /AV + have been reported as having increased in cardiovascular-related diseases, making them potential biomarkers for endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to compare these EMPs in patients with hypercholesterolemia and healthy controls and to correlate their levels with endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) assessed via pulse wave analysis (PWA); an established method of assessing endothelial function. Materials and Methods : EMPs from 88 subjects (44 hypercholesterolemia patients and 44 controls) were quantified from whole blood using flow cytometry analysis. Endothelial function was determined using PWA combined with pharmacological challenge. Results : CD31 + /42 - /AV + (3.45 ± 4.74 count/µL vs. 1.33 ± 4.40 count/µL; p = 0.03), CD144 + /AV + (7.37 ± 12.66 count/µL vs. 1.42 ± 1.71 count/µL; p = 0.003) and CD62e + /AV + (57.16 ± 56.22 count/µL vs. 20.78 ± 11.04 count/µL; p < 0.001) were significantly elevated in the hypercholesterolemic group compared with the controls, respectively. There was a significant inverse moderate correlation between all circulating EMPs and EDV: CD31 + /42 - /AV + (r = -0.36, p = 0.001), CD144 + /AV + (r = -0.37, p = 0.001) and CD62e + /AV + (r = -0.35, p = 0.002). Conclusions : All EMPs were raised in the patients with hypercholesterolemia, and these values correlated with the established method of assessing endothelial function.