Circulating Endothelium Progenitor Cells and Endogenous Oestrogen in Healthy Subjects

Study design: Open pilot study in health volunteers in the Hospital Saint-ANTOINE's Clinical Investigation Centre (CIC).

Recruitment and course of the study: The subjects will be recruited among the CIC's pool of healthy volunteers. Volunteer people will then have biological and clinical baseline examinations. If they match the inclusion criteria, an appointment will be taken for the blood sample intend for the characterization of the EPC and hormonal plasma levels evaluation. The participation will not exceed 2 months. Young women will have to come between the 9th and the 11th day after the beginning of menses). A total of 150 ml of peripheral blood will be collected. The study will last 18 months.

Inclusion criteria

• BMI between 19 and 25 kg/m²
• non menopausal women :
• age 18 to 40 years,
• regular menstrual cycles
• no hormone therapy as contraceptives
• postmenopausal women :
• age above 55 years old
• amenorrhoea since 5 years at least
• no hormone therapy since at least 3 month

Exclusion criteria

• no medical insurance
• inclusion in another study
• smoking, Statins treatment, uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension and personal history of cardiovascular disease.