Vasculogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis
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* Corresponding author: Zoltán Szekanecz szekanecz.zoltan@med.unideb.hu
1 Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Medicine, University of Debrecen Medical and Health Sciences Center, 98 Nagyerdei street, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
2 Veterans' Administration, Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
3 University of Michigan Health System, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2010, 12:110 doi:10.1186/ar2943
See related research by Jodon de Villeroché et al., http://arthritis-research.com/content/12/1/R27
Published: 18 March 2010Abstract
Decreased number and impaired functions of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) leading to impaired vasculogenesis have been associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Defective vasculogenesis has also been implicated in premature atherosclerosis in RA. Recently, early-outgrowth monocytic and late-outgrowth hemangioblastic EPC subsets have been characterized. Hemangioblastic EPCs may exert increased numbers in active RA and may play a role in vascular repair underlying RA.