Endothelial precursor cells in the synovial tissue of patients with RA and OA

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Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Jul;50(7):2157-66.

Endothelial precursor cells in the synovial tissue of patients with

rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Ruger B, Giurea A, Wanivenhaus AH, Zehetgruber H, Hollemann D, Yanagida

G, Groger M, Petzelbauer P, Smolen JS, Hoecker P, Fischer MB.

University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

OBJECTIVE: To find evidence for the presence of endothelial precursor

cells, which can induce new vessel formation, in the synovial tissue of

patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS: Precursor cells in the synovial tissue of 18 RA patients and 15

OA patients were identified by immunohistochemistry, morphometric

analysis, and confocal laser scanning microscopy using the following

phenotype markers: CD31, CD34, STRO-1, CD133, vascular endothelial

growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), and CXCR4. The presence of CD31,

CD34, CD133, VEGFR-2, and CXCR4 messenger RNA in the synovial tissue was

determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and the

message for CXCR4 was quantified by an RNase protection assay. RESULTS:

A population of cells that expressed CD34 on their surface but lacked

the endothelial cell marker CD31 was found in the synovial tissue of RA

and OA patients. CD34+,CD31- cells were detected in close proximity to

STRO-1+ and CD133+ cells, forming cell clusters in the sublining area of

the synovial membrane. Within these cell clusters, CD34+,CD31- precursor

cells were located on the inside surrounded by STRO-1+ cells and with

CD133+ cells on the outside. CD34+ precursor cells in the cell layer

expressed high levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, while VEGFR-2 was

expressed on CD34+ and CD133+ cells, and alpha-smooth muscle actin was

expressed on STRO-1+ cells.

CONCLUSION: The presence of endothelial precursor cells in the synovial

tissue of RA and OA patients provides evidence for vasculogenesis

induced by precursor cells that arise in situ or from circulating

progenitors.

PMID: 15248213

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