Transplantation of ex vivo expanded endothelial progenitor cells for therapeutic neovascularization

C Kalka, H Masuda, T Takahashi… - Proceedings of the …, 2000 - National Acad Sciences
C Kalka, H Masuda, T Takahashi, WM Kalka-Moll, M Silver, M Kearney, T Li, JM Isner…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2000National Acad Sciences
Animal studies and preliminary results in humans suggest that lower extremity and
myocardial ischemia can be attenuated by treatment with angiogenic cytokines. The resident
population of endothelial cells that is competent to respond to an available level of
angiogenic growth factors, however, may potentially limit the extent to which cytokine
supplementation enhances tissue neovascularization. Accordingly, we transplanted human
endothelial progenitor cells (hEPCs) to athymic nude mice with hindlimb ischemia. Blood …
Animal studies and preliminary results in humans suggest that lower extremity and myocardial ischemia can be attenuated by treatment with angiogenic cytokines. The resident population of endothelial cells that is competent to respond to an available level of angiogenic growth factors, however, may potentially limit the extent to which cytokine supplementation enhances tissue neovascularization. Accordingly, we transplanted human endothelial progenitor cells (hEPCs) to athymic nude mice with hindlimb ischemia. Blood flow recovery and capillary density in the ischemic hindlimb were markedly improved, and the rate of limb loss was significantly reduced. Ex vivo expanded hEPCs may thus have utility as a “supply-side” strategy for therapeutic neovascularization.
National Acad Sciences