Original immunophenotype of blood endothelial progenitor cells and microparticles in patients with isolated arterial erectile dysfunction and late onset hypogonadism: effects of androgen replacement therapy

Figures & data

Figure 1. Representative fluocytometric scattergrams showing the gating strategy used in a normal healthy men (upper panels) and in a patient with late onset hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction (lower panels). Both histograms 1 report the forward versus side scatter dot plot: three different cell populations can be identified (gate F: lymphocytes; gate I: monocytes; gate J: polymorphonuclear cells). Both histograms 2 report the CD45_pos (E) and CD45_neg (G) cells. Both histograms 3 report only the CD45_neg cells (gate G) subdivided according to the expression of CD34 and CD144 antigen staining. EPCs were defined as CD45_neg/CD34_pos/CD144_pos, whereas EMP CD45_neg/CD34_neg/CD144_pos.

Table I. Penile dynamic echo-color doppler parameters, IIEF-5 score, T serum concentration and metabolic features (mean ± SEM) of the 50 patients (group A and group B) with arterial erectile dysfunction and late onset hypogonadism at baseline and after six months of transdermal androgen replacepent therapy for group A.

Parameters	Group A baseline	Group B baseline	Group A after six months	Group B after six months
Peak systolic velocity (cm/sec)	23.0 ± 0.5	24.0 ± 1.2	32.3 ± 1.0*^,†	22.0 ± 1.0
EDV (cm/sec)	2.0 ± 0.2	2.0 ± 0.4	2.0 ± 0.1	2.0 ± 0.6
Acceleration time (msec)	134.2 ± 1.6	133.3 ± 1.2	112.1 ± 1.2*^,†	136.3 ± 1.2
Resistance index	0.91 ± 0.03	0.92 ± 0.01	0.93 ± 0.08	0.91 ± 0.01
Intima-media thickness (mm)	0.33 ± 0.02	0.34 ± 0.04	0.32 ± 0.02	0.35 ± 0.04
IIEF-5	9.0 ± 1.0	9.5 ± 0.7	18.0 ± 1.0*^,†	8.0 ± 0.7
Serum T concentration (ng/dl)	176 ± 10.2	180 ± 15.0	420 ± 17.2*^,†	176 ± 20.0
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	27.7 ± 1.0	27.9 ± 1.2	25.7 ± 1.0*^,†	28.2 ± 1.2
Total cholesterol (mg/dl)	213.1 ± 13.1	218.0 ± 11.2	114.1 ± 10.1*^,†	228.0 ± 11.2
HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)	43.0 ± 3.3	42.0 ± 0.7	38.0 ± 2.2*^,†	41.0 ± 1.7
Triglycerides (mg/dl)	189.1 ± 10.1	194.0 ± 17.2	119.1 ± 10.2*^,†	198.0 ± 17.2
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	143.4 ± 7.1	142.4 ± 11.2	134.4 ± 5.1*^,†	148.4 ± 11.2
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	94.1 ± 7.4	92.5 ± 6.2	86.1 ± 8.4*^,†	92.5 ± 6.2

*p < 0.05 compared to group A at baseline.

^†p < 0.05 compared to group B after 6 months.

Figure 2. Panel 1: Percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (immunophenotype CD45_neg/CD34_pos/CD144_pos) and percentage of circulating endothelial microparticles (immunophenotype CD45_neg/CD34_neg/CD144_pos) in all patients with erectile dysfunction and late onset hypogonadism (group A and group B) at baseline. Panel 2: Percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (immunophenotype CD45_neg/CD34_pos/CD144_pos) and percentage of circulating endothelial microparticles (immunophenotype CD45_neg/CD34_neg/CD144_pos) in all patients with erectile dysfunction and late onset hypogonadism (group A and group B) after transdermal androgen replacement therapy.