Harvesting endothelial cells during routine invasive coronary procedures

Abstract

Endothelial cells (EC) have a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of vascular disorders, and sampling these cells during routine coronary procedures for ex vivo studies would provide substantial insights into these disorders. Thus, we sought to determine whether peripheral or coronary artery EC could be harvested from catheterization devices used in coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Pre-procedural informed consent was obtained from adult patients undergoing clinically indicated diagnostic coronary angiography and PCI procedures (Institutional Human Ethics Committee approval: HREC/13/TQEHLMH/191). Exclusion criteria were language barriers to obtaining informed consent and patients with blood-borne infections. Patients undergoing clinically indicated diagnostic angiography with/without PCI (N = 167) were recruited (mean age 67 years; 61% male). Procedural indications included acute coronary syndrome (35%), stable angina (35%), and atypical cardiac symptoms (23%). Following the routine catheterization procedure (72% via radial access), catheterization devices were collected and soaked in endothelial dissociation buffer to detach EC (Table 1). EC were recognized by microscopic morphology and expression of endothelial immunomarkers (von Willebrand factor, CD144, and CD146). EC counts from patients were not normally distributed, and nonparametric statistical analysis with median scores was performed (p < 0.05).