Goretti E, Wagner D R, Devaux Y
Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé, (CRP-Santé) Luxembourg, Luxembourg -
Minerva Cardioangiol. 2013 Dec;61(6):591-604.
After cardiac injury, endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are mobilized from the bone marrow and participate in cardiac repair by increasing revascularization of injured tissues. These cells have been studied actively in the past few years, but their exact phenotype and function are still controversial. In clinical trials, injection of progenitor cells has shown modest benefits. A better understanding of the biology of EPC will allow improving their therapeutic potential. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny single-stranded non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression post transcriptionally. They are involved in multiple biological pathways regulating cardiac pathophysiology. Modern technologies using miRNA inhibitors and miRNA mimics have been developed and allow modifying the expression and hence the biological effects of miRNAs. The role of miRNAs in cardiac cells has been extensively investigated. Recent studies suggest that miRNAs play significant roles in EPC, and therefore might be used to improve the regenerative capacities of EPC. In this review, we will first provide a brief overview of the role of EPC in cardiovascular disease. Then, we will summarize current knowledge on the role of miRNAs in EPC and we will discuss how miRNAs may be used to enhance the capacity of EPC to repair the injured heart.
心脏损伤后，内皮祖细胞（EPC）从骨髓中动员出来，并通过增加受损组织的血管再生参与心脏修复。在过去几年中，对这些细胞进行了积极的研究，但其确切的表型和功能仍存在争议。在临床试验中，注射祖细胞已显示出一定的益处。更好地了解EPC的生物学特性将有助于提高其治疗潜力。微小RNA（miRNA）是微小的单链非编码RNA，可在转录后对基因表达进行负调控。它们参与调节心脏病理生理学的多种生物学途径。已开发出使用miRNA抑制剂和miRNA模拟物的现代技术，可用于改变miRNA的表达，从而改变其生物学效应。miRNA在心脏细胞中的作用已得到广泛研究。最近的研究表明，miRNA在EPC中发挥重要作用，因此可能用于提高EPC的再生能力。在本综述中，我们将首先简要概述EPC在心血管疾病中的作用。然后，我们将总结关于miRNA在EPC中作用的现有知识，并讨论如何利用miRNA增强EPC修复受损心脏的能力。
