Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
In Vitro Microfluidic Disease Model to Study Whole Blood-Endothelial Interactions and Blood Clot Dynamics in Real-Time
Published on: May 24, 2020
Circulating endothelial cells in Behçet's disease: is there a relationship with vascular involvement?
Nazife Şule Yaşar Bilge1, Olga Meltem Akay2, Eren Gunduz3
1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. suleyasar@yahoo.com.
Insights
Higher levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and resting circulating endothelial cells (rCEC) indicate vascular involvement in Behçet
Area of Science:
- Vascular biology
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Circulating endothelial cells (CEC) are biomarkers of vascular damage.
- Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis with potential vascular complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between CEC, EPC, and their subgroups (activated CEC [aCEC], resting CEC [rCEC]) and vascular involvement in BD.
Main Methods:
- A study included 60 patients with BD (vascular BD, mucocutaneus BD), thrombosis, and 20 healthy controls.
- Flow cytometry was used to measure CEC, aCEC, rCEC, and EPC percentages in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Main Results:
- CEC and aCEC levels did not differ significantly between groups.
- EPC and rCEC levels were significantly higher in vascular BD and thrombosis groups compared to mucocutaneus BD and control groups.
Conclusions:
- EPC and rCEC may play a role in assessing vascular involvement in BD.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine their utility in monitoring BD patients and stratifying risk for vascular events.
Objectives:
Circulating endothelial cells (CEC) are identified in conditions with vascular damage such as systemic vasculitis. Our aim was to investigate if EPC, CEC, and/or its subgroups activated CEC (aCEC) or resting CEC (rCEC) related with vascular involvement in Behçet's disease (BD).
Methods:
In total 60 patients were included in this study, divided into 4 groups: 1) Behçet patients with a history of vascular involvement: vascular BD; 2) Behçet patients with mucocutaneus involvement: mucocutaneus BD; 3) patients with history of thrombosis due to other causes: thrombosis; 4) 20 healthy controls were also included: control group. Percentages of CEC, aCEC, rCEC and EPCs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by flow cytometry.
Results:
CEC (3.75 (1.80-7.20), 1.80 (0.70-3.53), 3.50 (1.83-7.23), 2.45 (1.28- 4.60)) and aCEC (2.40 (1.28-4.28), 1.10 (0.77-2.20), 3.15 (1.48-7.20), 3.20 (1.15-9.80) levels were did not show a statistically significant difference between groups (p:0.077 and p:0.054, respectively). EPC and rCEC levels were higher in vascular BD and thrombosis groups than mucocutaneus BD and control groups (EPC:10.5 (7.20-18.3), 11.6 (7.30-20.9) vs. 7.15 (5.55-8.25), 10.2 (5.93-18.6), rCEC: 5.35 (3.13-7.90), 6.45 (4.60-10.8) vs. 4.95 (3.05-7.55), 3.40 (1.88-4.30), p:0.042 and p:0.007, respectively).
Conclusions:
CEC, EPC, aCEC and rCEC may have role in the assessment of vascular involvement in BD. Longitudinal studies would be needed to identify the utility of these cells for the follow up and risk stratification of BD patients with vascular involvement for recurrences or identify BD patients at risk of vascular involvement.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
01:20Overview of the Vascular System