Strategies for Enhancing Progenitor Cell Mobilization and Function in Diabetes

Bone marrow (BM) holds a pool of stem and progenitor cells whose role is not limited to hematopoiesis. Indeed, growing evidences showed that BM-derived progenitors could contribute to various extents to cardiovascular homeostasis. Notably, diabetic patients experience an intrinsic defect of the progenitor pool, whereas some recent works point directly to an intrinsic defect of the BM, resulting in defective mobilization and impaired functions of progenitors. These defects could have important pathophysiological roles in the development of diabetic complications. An integrated approach, which enhances mobilization of progenitors and improves their functions, could represent a novel method to improve cardiovascular repair by endogenous progenitors. Furthermore, potential clinical trials of cell therapy would gain benefit from stratagems that enhance the number and functions of progenitors prior to transplantation. In this review we discuss the strategies to stimulate the mobilization of progenitors in diabetes and the protocols to improve their functions.