Relationship between stem cell factor/c-kit expression in peripheral blood and blood pressure

Abstract

There is a high prevalence of hypertension and hypertension-related vascular disease in humans. Studies show that the expression of stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit signalling proteins is relatively high during blood vessel repair. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between blood pressure (BP) and the expression of SCF/c-kit in peripheral blood. We carried out a cross-sectional analysis of 141 subjects in the health examination centre of our hospital. Information including waist circumference, BP, plasma glucose and serum lipids for each subject was collected. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) and tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) levels in peripheral blood were determined by radio-immunity assay. Expression levels of SCF and its receptor, c-kit, in peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found a positive correlation between plasma SCF/c-kit levels and BP in these patients (SCF: hypertension 907.1±52.3 vs prehypertension 834.6 ± 47.6 vs normal control 768.8 ± 44.1 ng l À1 ; c-kit: hypertension 13.2 ± 1.6 vs pre-hypertension 11.1±2.1 vs normal control 9.6±1.5 mg l À1 , Po0.01). SCF/c-kit levels were also positively correlated with ET-1 and TNF-a levels (ET-1: hypertension 155.5 ± 12.1 vs pre-hypertension 142.0±11.2 vs normal control 117.9±10.3 ng l À1 ; TNF-a: hypertension 14.7±3.9 vs prehypertension 11.6 ± 4.2 vs normal control 8.1 ± 2.8 ng l À1 , Po0.01). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that SCF, c-kit and ET-1 are independent predictors for systolic blood pressure, and that SCF, c-kit, ET-1 and TNF-a are independent predictors for diastolic blood pressure. SCF/c-kit levels increase with BP levels are positively correlated with ET-1 and TNF-a levels.

A comparative cross-sectional study of some hematological parameters of hypertensive and normotensive individuals at the university of Gondar hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

“…The relationship between WBC and hypertension may be explained by an increased concentration of stem cell factor (SCF) in serum [ 26 ]. During HTN, there is a vascular endothelial dysfunction [ 27 , 28 ].…”

“…Thus, to repair this dysfunction SCF/c-kit increases. The SCF has an important role in differentiation and proliferation of haematopoietic cells [ 26 , 29 ]. This pathway might increase WBC via its participation in the differentiation and proliferation of haematopoietic cells.…”

“…The possible mechanisms of the association between RBC and blood pressure are not entirely known but the study showed that it may be associated with stem cell factor. Stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit signaling proteins are increased in hypertensive individuals [ 26 ]. Since it is involved in repairing of damaged blood vessels, the expression of stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit signaling proteins are relatively high during blood vessel repair.…”

In vitro pharmacological profiling of R406 identifies molecular targets underlying the clinical effects of fostamatinib

“…The level of KIT in peripheral blood is an independent predictor of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Zhong et al. ) and the kinase has been proposed as a therapeutic target for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (Montani et al. ).…”

Plasma SCF/c-kit Levels in Patients with Dipper and Non-Dipper Hypertension

“…[8][9][10] Our previous study found that peripheral serum SCF/c-kit levels increase in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive patients. 11 However, the relationship between SCF/c-kit and the type of hypertension (dipper or non-dipper)…”