Aging Healthy, or with Diabetes, is Associated with ACE2/ACE Imbalance in the Hematopoietic Stem Progenitor Cells

Bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) have vasoreparative functions and are physiologically mobilized into circulation. Aging or diabetes increases risk for cardiovascular diseases and are known to be associated with impaired HSPC functions. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 are primary enzymes of cardiovascular detrimental and protective axes of renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensin-(1-7) is generated largely by degradation of Ang II by ACE2 and produces vasoprotective functions by activating Mas receptor. We have shown that Ang-(1-7) reverses diabetic dysfunction in murine and human HSPCs. This study tested the hypothesis that aging healthy or with diabetes is associated with imbalance in the vascular protective and detrimental axes of RAS in HSPCs. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from either male or female healthy (n=23) or diabetic (n=21), both type 1 and type 2, individuals of age ranging from 25 to 87 years. Lineage-negative (Lin−) or CD34+ HSPCs wer...