Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Kidney Diseases

• Published in: Kidney & blood pressure research Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 701 - 718
• Main Authors: Ozkok, Abdullah, Yildiz, Alaattin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01-01-2018; Karger Publishers
• Subjects: Acute kidney injury; Angiogenesis; Animals; Atherosclerosis; Bone marrow; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - pathology; Cell culture; Cells (biology); Chronic kidney disease; Coronary vessels; Endothelial progenitor cells; Endothelial Progenitor Cells - physiology; Endothelium; Glomerulonephritis; Growth factors; Heart diseases; Humans; Ischemia; Kidney diseases; Kidney Diseases - pathology; Kidneys; Kinases; MicroRNAs; Microvesicles; Osteoprogenitor cells; Paracrine signalling; Renal transplantation; Review; Rodents; Sepsis; Studies; Transplants & implants; Uremia; Glomerulonephritis; Acute kidney injury; Atherosclerosis; Endothelial progenitor cells; Renal transplantation; Cardiovascular disease; Sepsis; Chronic kidney disease; Microvesicles
• ISSN: 1420-4096; 1423-0143
• DOI: 10.1159/000489745

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are bone marrow derived or tissue-resident cells that play major roles in the maintenance of vascular integrity and repair of endothelial damage. Although EPCs may be capable of directly engrafting and regenerating the endothelium, the most important effects of EPCs seem to be depended on paracrine effects. In recent studies, specific microvesicles and mRNAs have been found to mediate the pro-angiogenic and regenerative effects of EPCs on endothelium. EPC counts have important prognostic implications in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Uremia and inflammation are associated with lower EPC counts which probably contribute to increased CVD risks in patients with chronic kidney disease. Beneficial effects of the EPC therapies have been shown in studies performed on different models of CVD and kidney diseases such as acute and chronic kidney diseases and glomerulonephritis. However, lack of a clear definition and specific marker of EPCs is the most important problem causing difficulties in interpretation of the results of the studies investigating EPCs.