Physical activity and circulating endothelial progenitor cells: an intervention study.

Background To assess the effect of a personalized physical activity programme on weight and circulating (CPC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in overweight and obese subjects. Materials and methods Anthropometric measurements with body composition, cardiopulmonary test, maximal stress exercise test with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and a series of biochemical analyses were taken before (T0) and after 3months of physical activity (T1) in a total of 80 overweight and obese subjects. CPC and EPC were determined using flow cytometry and were defined as CD34+, CD133+ and CD34+/CD133+ for CPC and CD34+KDR+, CD133+KDR+ and CD34+CD133+KDR+ for EPC. Results At the end of the programme, we divided the population into two groups, compliant individuals (group A, n=47) and noncompliant individuals (group B, n=33). Group A reported significant reductions of weight by 3·1% (P<0·0001) and fat mass by 4·4% (P<0·0001), while group B showed a percentage of increase in fat mass by 1·5% at T1. In group A, a trend of increase at T1 for circulating levels of CPC and EPC was observed, reaching the statistical significance for all the three types of EPC. On the contrary, group B showed no significant increase in CPC and EPC. Furthermore, a significant correlation between decrease in fat mass and increase in CD133+/KDR+ EPC was reported in group A (r=0·50; P=0·04). Conclusion Three months of physical activity significantly improved anthropometric measurements. A beneficial effect of increased number of EPC in compliant individuals, in relation to weight loss, was observed.