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Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Health and Disease 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2022) | Viewed by 17156

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
Interests: cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; vascular stem cells; endothelial progenitor cells; repurposing metformin for CVD; risk factors for CVD; in-vitro models of CVD
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) represent a subpopulation of mononuclear cells (MNCs) that are recruited to replace senescent/injured vascular endothelial cells and to reconstruct injured vessels and restore local blood flow upon an ischemic insult. Furthermore, EPCs play a crucial role during the angiogenic switch that supports vascularization, growth, and metastasis in solid tumors. 

As proposed in a recent consensus statement, two distinct and well-defined EPC subtypes may emerge from cultured mononuclear cells, which differ in their ontology and reparative mechanisms. These EPC subtypes include: myeloid angiogenic cells (MACs), also termed circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), pro-angiogenic hematopoietic cells (PAC), pro-angiogenic circulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (pro-CHSPCs or pro-CPCs), or “early” EPCs; and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), also known as outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) or “late” EPCs. EPCs may support neovascularization of ischemic tissues through the paracrine release of growth factors and cytokines, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and stromal cell-derived factor-1a (SDF-1a), or by physically incorporating within nascent neovessels. 

Autologous MACs were probed in no less than 150 registered interventional clinical trials to induce therapeutic angiogenesis in multiple cardiovascular disorders, including myocardial infarction, critical limb ischemia, leg ulcer/gangrene, peripheral artery disease, hypertension, diabetic microvasculopathy, and stroke. Moreover, interfering with EPC recruitment to tumor sites is regarded as an alternative strategy to interfere with tumor growth and metastasis in cancer patients. 

We are, therefore, pleased to invite all of you to participate to this Special Issue by presenting your most recent research or ideas about the definition, identity, pathophysiology, and therapeutic application of EPCs. Original research articles and comprehensive review papers are all welcome.

Dr. Jolanta Weaver
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • endothelial progenitor cells
  • endothelial colony-forming cells
  • myeloid angiogenic cells
  • regenerative medicine
  • antiangiogenic treatments
  • angiogenesis
  • vasculogenesis

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2143 KiB  
Article
Functional Impairment of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells (ECFC) in Patients with Severe Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)
by Stéphanie Simoncini, Simon Toupance, Carlos Labat, Sylvie Gautier, Chloé Dumoulin, Laurent Arnaud, Maria G. Stathopoulou, Sophie Visvikis-Siest, Pascal M. Rossi, Athanase Benetos, Françoise Dignat-George and Florence Sabatier
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 8969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23168969 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2355
Abstract
Endothelial dysfunction is a key factor in atherosclerosis. However, the link between endothelial repair and severity of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is unclear. This study investigates the relationship between ASCVD, markers of inflammation, and circulating endothelial progenitor cells, namely hematopoietic cells with paracrine [...] Read more.
Endothelial dysfunction is a key factor in atherosclerosis. However, the link between endothelial repair and severity of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is unclear. This study investigates the relationship between ASCVD, markers of inflammation, and circulating endothelial progenitor cells, namely hematopoietic cells with paracrine angiogenic activity and endothelial colony forming cells (ECFC). Two hundred and forty-three subjects from the TELARTA study were classified according to the presence of clinical atherosclerotic disease. ASCVD severity was assessed by the number of involved vascular territories. Flow cytometry was used to numerate circulating progenitor cells (PC) expressing CD34 and those co-expressing CD45, CD34, and KDR. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells ex vivo culture methods were used to determine ECFC and Colony Forming Unit- endothelial cells (CFU-EC). The ECFC subpopulation was analyzed for proliferation, senescence, and vasculogenic properties. Plasma levels of IL-6 and VEGF-A were measured using Cytokine Array. Despite an increased number of circulating precursors in ASCVD patients, ASCVD impaired the colony forming capacity and the angiogenic properties of ECFC in a severity-dependent manner. Alteration of ECFC was associated with increased senescent phenotype and IL-6 levels. Our study demonstrates a decrease in ECFC repair capacity according to ASCVD severity in an inflammatory and senescence-associated secretory phenotype context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Health and Disease 2.0)
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Review

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14 pages, 1157 KiB  
Review
Characterization of Endothelial Progenitor Cell: Past, Present, and Future
by Amankeldi A. Salybekov, Shuzo Kobayashi and Takayuki Asahara
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(14), 7697; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23147697 - 12 Jul 2022
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4763
Abstract
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are currently being studied as candidate cell sources for revascularization strategies. Despite these promising results, widespread clinical acceptance of EPCs for clinical therapies remains hampered by several challenges. The challenges and issues surrounding the use of EPCs and the [...] Read more.
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are currently being studied as candidate cell sources for revascularization strategies. Despite these promising results, widespread clinical acceptance of EPCs for clinical therapies remains hampered by several challenges. The challenges and issues surrounding the use of EPCs and the current paradigm being developed to improve the harvest efficiency and functionality of EPCs for application in regenerative medicine are discussed. It has been observed that controversies have emerged regarding the isolation techniques and classification and origin of EPCs. This manuscript attempts to highlight the concept of EPCs in a sequential manner, from the initial discovery to the present (origin, sources of EPCs, isolation, and identification techniques). Human and murine EPC marker diversity is also discussed. Additionally, this manuscript is aimed at summarizing our current and future prospects regarding the crosstalk of EPCs with the biology of hematopoietic cells and culture techniques in the context of regeneration-associated cells (RACs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Health and Disease 2.0)
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27 pages, 1169 KiB  
Review
Endothelial Progenitor Cells Dysfunctions and Cardiometabolic Disorders: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches
by Anne-Christine Peyter, Jean-Baptiste Armengaud, Estelle Guillot and Catherine Yzydorczyk
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 6667; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22136667 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4023
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of several disorders, such as hypertension, central obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Despite health policies based on the promotion of physical exercise, the reduction of calorie intake and the consumption of healthy [...] Read more.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of several disorders, such as hypertension, central obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Despite health policies based on the promotion of physical exercise, the reduction of calorie intake and the consumption of healthy food, there is still a global rise in the incidence and prevalence of MetS in the world. This phenomenon can partly be explained by the fact that adverse events in the perinatal period can increase the susceptibility to develop cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood. Individuals born after intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are particularly at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and metabolic disorders later in life. It has been shown that alterations in the structural and functional integrity of the endothelium can lead to the development of cardiometabolic diseases. The endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are circulating components of the endothelium playing a major role in vascular homeostasis. An association has been found between the maintenance of endothelial structure and function by EPCs and their ability to differentiate and repair damaged endothelial tissue. In this narrative review, we explore the alterations of EPCs observed in individuals with cardiometabolic disorders, describe some mechanisms related to such dysfunction and propose some therapeutical approaches to reverse the EPCs dysfunction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Health and Disease 2.0)
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20 pages, 704 KiB  
Review
Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Potential Therapeutic Application in Tissue Repair and Regeneration
by Sonia Terriaca, Elena Fiorelli, Maria Giovanna Scioli, Giulia Fabbri, Gabriele Storti, Valerio Cervelli and Augusto Orlandi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(12), 6375; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22126375 - 15 Jun 2021
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 5145
Abstract
Recently, many studies investigated the role of a specific type of stem cell named the endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) in tissue regeneration and repair. EPCs represent a heterogeneous population of mononuclear cells resident in the adult bone marrow. EPCs can migrate and differentiate [...] Read more.
Recently, many studies investigated the role of a specific type of stem cell named the endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) in tissue regeneration and repair. EPCs represent a heterogeneous population of mononuclear cells resident in the adult bone marrow. EPCs can migrate and differentiate in injured sites or act in a paracrine way. Among the EPCs’ secretome, extracellular vesicles (EVs) gained relevance due to their possible use for cell-free biological therapy. They are more biocompatible, less immunogenic, and present a lower oncological risk compared to cell-based options. EVs can efficiently pass the pulmonary filter and deliver to target tissues different molecules, such as micro-RNA, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and non-coding RNAs. Their effects are often analogous to their cellular counterparts, and EPC-derived EVs have been tested in vitro and on animal models to treat several medical conditions, including ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes, and acute kidney injury. EPC-derived EVs have also been studied for bone, brain, and lung regeneration and as carriers for drug delivery. This review will discuss the pre-clinical evidence regarding EPC-derived EVs in the different disease models and regenerative settings. Moreover, we will discuss the translation of their use into clinical practice and the possible limitations of this process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Health and Disease 2.0)
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