Lucchesi D, et al. - Researchers evaluated the impact of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels on functions of circulating monocytic angiogenic cells (MACs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They obtained “early” endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from type 2 diabetes individuals with low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and with high HDL-C levels and characterized in vitro functionality of these cells. Relative to cells obtained from subjects with low HDL-C, a relative preservation of some functional properties (mainly viability, to a lesser extent adhesion) was seen in MACs derived from type 2 diabetic individuals with high HDL-C levels. Only a marginal or nonexistent relation of other MACs functions to HDL levels was noted, except for viability and adhesion. In the protection of vascular wall integrity, these properties may be important.