Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells Display Proangiogenic Properties During Calcific Aortic Valve Disease

Abstract

We provide here the first proof of an angiogenic potential of human VICs isolated from patients with calcific aortic valve disease. These results point to a novel function of VIC_p in valve vascularization during calcific aortic valve disease, with a perivascular differentiation ability and a VEGF-A paracrine effect. Targeting perivascular differentiation and VEGF-A to slow calcific aortic valve disease progression warrants further investigation.