title: Pivotal Cytoprotective Mediators and Promising Therapeutic Strategies for Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Based Cardiovascular Regeneration.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction, is a major cause of death worldwide. In aspects of cell therapy against CVD, it is generally accepted that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are potent neovascular modulators in ischemic tissues. In response to ischemic injury signals, EPCs located in a bone marrow niche migrate to injury sites and form new vessels by secreting various vasculogenic factors including VEGF, SDF-1, and FGF, as well as by directly differentiating into endothelial cells. Nonetheless, in ischemic tissues, most of engrafted EPCs do not survive under harsh ischemic conditions and nutrient depletion. Therefore, an understanding of diverse EPC-related cytoprotective mediators underlying EPC homeostasis in ischemic tissues may help to overcome current obstacles for EPC-mediated cell therapy for CVDs. Additionally, to enhance EPC's functional capacity at ischemic sites, multiple strategies for cell survival should be considered, that is, preconditioning of EPCs with function-targeting drugs including natural compounds and hormones, virus mediated genetic modification, combined therapy with other stem/progenitor cells, and conglomeration with biomaterials. In this review, we discuss multiple cytoprotective mediators of EPC-based cardiovascular repair and propose promising therapeutic strategies for the treatment of CVDs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Vascular Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, Convergence Stem Cell Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunyun
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8340-5980
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Vascular Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, Convergence Stem Cell Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sujin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7065-3432
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Vascular Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, Convergence Stem Cell Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Mo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5951-2877
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kwon