Endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction: is it best fitted for risk stratification in pulmonary disease?

Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) dysfunction is defined as weak function and lowered number of endothelial precursors with pro-angiogenic phenotypes that are imbedded in vascular integrity maintenance, angiogenesis, and vascular reparation. There is large body of evidence that deficiency of EPC number in peripheral blood is considered as a marker of endothelial dysfunction, which is established risk factor and player in pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, recent clinical studies have shown that circulating EPCs had demonstrated vascular protection in several vascular diseases including pulmonary hypertension. However, the role of EPCs in pathogenesis chronic obstructive pulmonary disease bronchial asthma, emphysema appeared to be uncertain. The short communication is dedicated the controversies in abilities of EPCs to have tissue protective and play a pivotal role in nature evolution of pulmonary disease.