SELE and ischemic stroke: In early ischemic stroke, EPCs and markers of neuroinflammation that include up-regulated adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-6, ET-1, and markers of tissue injury including MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) have a negative correlation [56].