{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T23:02:13Z","timestamp":1789599733404,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":92,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"24","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,20]],"date-time":"2021-12-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639958400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by the swelling of multiple joints, pain and stiffness, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Sustained immune response and chronic inflammation, which characterize RA, may induce endothelial activation, damage and dysfunction. An equilibrium between endothelial damage and repair, together with the preservation of endothelial integrity, is of crucial importance for the homeostasis of endothelium. Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) represent a heterogenous cell population, characterized by the ability to differentiate into mature endothelial cells (ECs), which contribute to vascular homeostasis, neovascularization and endothelial repair. A modification of the number and function of EPCs has been described in numerous chronic inflammatory and auto-immune conditions; however, reports that focus on the number and functions of EPCs in RA are characterized by conflicting results, and discrepancies exist among different studies. In the present review, the authors describe EPCs\u2019 role and response to RA-related endothelial modification, with the aim of illustrating current evidence regarding the level of EPCs and their function in this disease, to summarize EPCs\u2019 role as a biomarker in cardiovascular comorbidities related to RA, and finally, to discuss the modulation of EPCs secondary to RA therapy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms222413675","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,21]],"date-time":"2021-12-21T04:23:47Z","timestamp":1640060627000},"page":"13675","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Response to Endothelial Dysfunction and Clinical Evidences"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9419-2426","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Klara","family":"Komici","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7853-9159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelica","family":"Perna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aldo","family":"Rocca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9575-8337","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonardo","family":"Bencivenga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80131 Naples, Italy"},{"name":"G\u00e9rontop\u00f4le de Toulouse, Institut du Vieillissement, CHU de Toulouse, 310000 Toulouse, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9701-0437","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Rengo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples \u201cFederico II\u201d, 80131 Naples, Italy"},{"name":"Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA Societ\u00e0 Benefit (ICS Maugeri SpA SB), 82037 Telese Terme, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4342-962X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Germano","family":"Guerra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1360","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2018.13103","article-title":"Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review","volume":"320","author":"Aletaha","year":"2018","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102423","DOI":"10.1016\/j.autrev.2019.102423","article-title":"Comparative United States autoimmune disease rates for 2010\u20132016 by sex, geographic region, and race","volume":"19","author":"Roberts","year":"2020","journal-title":"Autoimmun. 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