Cellular Membrane Microparticles: Potential Targets of Combinational Therapy for Vascular Disease

Title:Cellular Membrane Microparticles: Potential Targets of Combinational Therapy for Vascular Disease

Volume: 13 Issue: 4

Author(s): Xiang Xiao, Xiaotang Ma, Langni Liu, Jinju Wang, Kexia Bi, Yingxia Liu, Ran Fan, Bin Zhao, Yanfang Chen and Ji C. Bihl

Affiliation:

Keywords: Combinational therapy, microparticles, vascular disease.

Abstract: Vascular disease constitutes the leading health problem throughout the entire world. Current therapies for vascular disease mainly rely on comprehensive strategies including control of risk factors, vascular interventions and conventional supportive treatments. To improve the preventive and therapeutic efficacies of current approaches, novel combinational therapies are required. Microparticles (MPs) are small membrane vesicles derived from cells undergoing stress, activation or apoptosis. They carry the characteristics of their parent cells, enabling them to serve as potential biomarkers for various diseases. Of note, MPs also have been shown to mediate cell communications through transferring membrane proteins, phospholipids and RNAs from their parent cells to recipient cells. Recent novel approaches have started to reveal the functions of MPs. In this review, we summarize the general concepts and the latest research progress in MPs. And the potential of MPs as novel targets of combinational therapy for vascular disease will be discussed.

Cite this article as:

Xiao Xiang, Ma Xiaotang, Liu Langni, Wang Jinju, Bi Kexia, Liu Yingxia, Fan Ran, Zhao Bin, Chen Yanfang and Bihl C. Ji, Cellular Membrane Microparticles: Potential Targets of Combinational Therapy for Vascular Disease, Current Vascular Pharmacology 2015; 13 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570161112666141014145440