Cyclosporine Decreases Vascular Progenitor Cell Numbers After Cardiac Transplantation and Attenuates Progenitor Cell Growth in Vitro

Immunosuppression in the setting of cardiac transplantation causes a profound reduction in circulating progenitor cells capable of differentiating into endothelial and smooth muscle cells. This effect can in part be explained by the inhibitory effects of cyclosporine on progenitor growth and differentiation seen in this study.