Understanding Sickle Cell Disease Endothelial Pathology Through the Lens of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cell activation is one of the major pathophysiological aspects of sickle cell disease (SCD). In this review, we discuss the interaction of endothelial cells of various tissue beds, highlighting the specific biomarkers linked to endothelial cell activation and damage, and elaborate on endothelial cells’ role in the development of acute and chronic organ damage in SCD using existing clinical and preclinical data. Finally, we focus on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and their role in hemoglobin scavenging, sterile inflammation, and organ damage in SCD, as well as potential therapeutic strategies to reverse organ damage induced by LSEC dysfunction in SCD.