Hypercholesterolemia-associated endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction.
Hypercholesterolemia has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk by contributing to mechanical endothelial injury and dysfunction. There is evidence that chronic exposure to increased plasma cholesterol levels might also impair the repair of lipoprotein-mediated endothelial injury, possibly by reducing the availability and function of circulating endothelial progenitors. This review summarizes current knowledge about the mechanisms of lipoprotein-mediated endothelial injury and endothelial progenitor cell assisted vascular repair; the influence of hypercholesterolemia on endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction will be also addressed.
Pirro
Matteo
M
Medicina Interna, Angiologia e Malattie da Arteriosclerosi, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy. mpirro@unipg.it
Bagaglia
Francesco
F
Paoletti
Lucio
L
Razzi
Rolando
R
Mannarino
Massimo R
MR
D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*