In response to pro-inflammatory stimuli such as viral infection, circulating EPCs initiate weak cell–cell interactions with the endothelium, promoting the expression of adhesion molecules such as E-selectin or ICAM-1 by these cells, which also promotes vascular permeability, EPCs adhesion and trans-endothelial migration (Krenning et al. 2009), as well as leukocyte recruitment (Othumpangat et al. 2016; Yu et al. 2020; Dai et al. 2008). This evidence concerns the gene ICAM1 and viral infectious disease.