Endothelial progenitor cell numbers vary in newborns and adults; anti-gm-CSFα (CD116) antibody as a novel marker for EPC enumeration

Simsek S., KARACA Ç., Koker N., Öztürk A., KÖKER M. Y.

INNATE IMMUNITY, cilt.32, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 32
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/17534259261438615
  • Dergi Adı: INNATE IMMUNITY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, EMBASE, Environment Index, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Objective: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) originate from hematopoietic stem cells and can be quantified in peripheral blood using flow cytometry. The anti-GM-CSF alpha antibody (CD116) may serve as a specific marker for EPC enumeration. This study aimed to quantify peripheral EPCs expressing CD116 and compare the results with other specific antibodies in newborns and adults. Materials and Methods: EPC enumeration was performed by flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) obtained from 50 individuals, including 25 newborns and 25 adults. A CD34-specific antibody was used to identify hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, while an antibody panel consisting of CD116, CD146, CD31, and CD45 was employed for EPC identification. Results: Enumeration of CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) demonstrated that the mean CD34(+) HPC count per 10(6) PBLs was 1643 (935-1458) in newborns and 242.7 (163-190) in adults, with a statistically significant difference between the groups (p < 0.001). Using CD146 staining, the mean number of circulating EPCs per 10(6) PBLs was 94.2 (90.5-129.0) in newborns and 9.2 (7.4-12.4) in adults (p < 0.001). Similarly, enumeration based on CD31 staining revealed mean EPC counts of 19.0 (12.5-28.0) in newborns and 6.0 (5.0-7.0) in adults (p < 0.001). Enumeration using CD116 staining showed mean EPC numbers of 29.0 (23.0-34.0) in newborns and 3.0 (2.0-4.0) in adults, also indicating a significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: EPC numbers are significantly higher in newborns than in adults, suggesting an important developmental role for these cells. The GM-CSF alpha-specific antibody (CD116) may serve as a novel auxiliary marker for the identification and quantification of circulating EPCsubpopulations. Furthermore, EPC numbers appear to vary across different life stages, with higher numbers in newborns potentially reflecting the presence of a highly regenerative microenvironment.