title: Endothelial progenitor cells: Are they displaying a function in autoimmune disorders?
abstract: Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) are bone marrow derived cells able to differentiate in mature endothelial cells (EC) contributing to the generation of new vessels, connecting to fibronectin, and forming colonies and/or colony forming units. Since circulating EPCs can be actively considered part of endothelial damage in several cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune disorders the possibility to have a measure for endothelium damage should be considered of interest to predict the patient out-come. At the same time the EPCs proliferative and regenerative role could be considered for therapeutic applications. Studies have been performed to elucidate the role of EPCs in Systemic Sclerosis and many review and articles published on this topic. In the present paper we aimed to review the role of EPCs in other autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: Giuliana.guggino@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guggino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Liberto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciccia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienza Clinica Applicata, Divisione di Reumatologia, Scuola di Medicina, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmela Rita
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Balistreri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sireci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienza Clinica Applicata, Divisione di Reumatologia, Scuola di Medicina, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giacomelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Triolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: EPCs; LES; Rheumatoid arthritis; Vasculitis