Herpes simplex type I virus infected human vascular endothelial cells induce the production of anti-viral and proinflammatory factors by peripheral blood leukocytes in vitro.

Viral infection of the vascular wall cellular elements is involved in development of several pathophysiological events, including vasculitis, transplant rejection, and atherosclerosis. Previously, we have shown that cultured human vascular endothelial cells (ECs) may be effectively infected with herpes simplex type I virus (HSV-1), and this cultural model could be a useful tool for the explanation of many aspects of viral disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of conditioned media (CM) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on HSV-1 reproduction and cell adhesion molecule expression in cultured ECs.

Searching for alternative sources of postnatal human mesenchymal stem cells: candidate MSC-like cells from umbilical cord.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capability for renewal and differentiation into various lineages of mesenchymal tissues. These features of MSCs attract a lot of attention from investigators in the context of cell-based therapies of several human diseases. Despite the fact that bone marrow represents the main available source of MSCs, the use of bone marrow-derived cells is not always acceptable due to the high degree of viral infection and the significant drop in cell number and proliferative/differentiation capacity with age.