Reduced Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Downregulated GTCPH I Pathway Related to Endothelial Dysfunction in Premenopausal Women with Isolated Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Figure 2

The NO, VEGF, and GM-CSF levels in plasma and secretion by EPCs in the three groups. Both the plasma NO level (a) and NO secretion by EPCs (d) in premenopausal women with i-IGT was significantly lower than NGT and i-IFG women (all ). No difference of NO levels either in plasma or in culture media was observed between NGT and i-IFG women (a and b). No significant difference of VEGF or GM-CSF was found either in plasma level (b and c) or in secretion by EPCs (e and f) between the three groups. Data are given as mean ± SD ( vs. NGT; vs. IFG, n = 20 for the NGT group and i-IGT group and n = 21 for IFG group). NGT: normal glucose tolerance; i-IFG: isolated impaired fasting glucose; i-IGT: isolated impaired glucose tolerance; GM-CSF, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor; NGT, normal glucose tolerance; NOx, nitric oxide; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.

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