Effects of androgens on endothelial progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo

Gian Paolo Fadini (1) , Mattia Albiero , Andrea Cignarella , Chiara Bolego , Christian Pinna , Elisa Boscaro , Elisa Pagnin , Renzo de Toni , Saula de Kreutzenberg , Carlo Agostini , Angelo Avogaro

1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Metabolic Division

Beneficial or detrimental effects of androgens on the cardiovascular system are debated. Endothelial progenitor cells are bone marrow-derived cells involved in endothelial healing and angiogenesis, which promote cardiovascular health. Estrogens are potent stimulators of endothelial progenitor cells, and previous data indicated that androgens may improve biology of these cells, as well. Herein, we show that testosterone and its active metabolite dihydrodrotestosterone exert no effects on expansion and function of late endothelial progenitors isolated from peripheral blood of healthy human adult males, while they positively modulate early "monocytic" endothelial progenitors. In parallel, we show that castration in rats is followed by a decrease in circulating endothelial progenitor cells, but that testosterone and dihydrodrotestosterone replacement fails to restore endothelial progenitor cells toward the normal levels. This is associated with persistently low estrogen levels after androgen replacement in castrated rats. In a sample of 62 healthy middle-aged men, we show that circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels are more directly associated to estradiol rather than to testosterone concentrations. Our data collectively demonstrate that androgens exert no direct effects on endothelial progenitor cell biology in vitro and in vivo

Mots clés: Medicine

Gian Paolo Fadini, Mattia Albiero, Andrea Cignarella, Chiara Bolego, Christian Pinna, et al.. Effects of androgens on endothelial progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo. Clinical Science, 2009, 117 (10), pp.355-364. ⟨10.1042/CS20090077⟩. ⟨hal-00515448⟩