scholarly journals Poststroke Cell Therapy of the Aged Brain

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurel Popa-Wagner ◽  
Madalina Filfan ◽  
Adriana Uzoni ◽  
Pouya Pourgolafshan ◽  
Ana-Maria Buga

During aging, many neurodegenerative disorders are associated with reduced neurogenesis and a decline in the proliferation of stem/progenitor cells. The development of the stem cell (SC), the regenerative therapy field, gained tremendous expectations in the diseases that suffer from the lack of treatment options. Stem cell based therapy is a promising approach to promote neuroregeneration after brain injury and can be potentiated when combined with supportive pharmacological drug treatment, especially in the aged. However, the mechanism of action for a particular grafted cell type, the optimal delivery route, doses, or time window of administration after lesion is still under debate. Today, it is proved that these protections are most likely due to modulatory mechanisms rather than the expected cell replacement. Our group proved that important differences appear in the aged brain compared with young one, that is, the accelerated progression of ischemic area, or the delayed initiation of neurological recovery. In this light, these age-related aspects should be carefully evaluated in the clinical translation of neurorestorative therapies. This review is focused on the current perspectives and suitable sources of stem cells (SCs), mechanisms of action, and the most efficient delivery routes in neurorestoration therapies in the poststroke aged environment.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (28) ◽  
pp. 3332-3340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyeong-Ah Kwak ◽  
Ho-Beom Kwon ◽  
Joo Won Lee ◽  
Young-Seok Park

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Conventional treatment has a limitation of very narrow therapeutic time window and its devastating nature necessitate a novel regenerative approach. Transplanted stem cells resulted in functional recovery through multiple mechanisms including neuroprotection, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory effects. Despite the promising features shown in experimental studies, results from clinical trials are inconclusive from the perspective of efficacy. The present review presents a synopsis of stem cell research on ischemic stroke treatment according to cell type. Clinical trials to the present are briefly summarized. Finally, the hurdles and issues to be solved are discussed for clinical application.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 1538-1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Holan ◽  
Barbora Hermankova ◽  
Jan Kossl

Retinal degenerative diseases, which include age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, mostly affect the elderly population and are the most common cause of decreased quality of vision or even blindness. So far, there is no satisfactory treatment protocol to prevent, stop, or cure these disorders. A great hope and promise for patients suffering from retinal diseases is represented by stem cell–based therapy that could replace diseased or missing retinal cells and support regeneration. In this respect, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that can be obtained from the particular patient and used as autologous cells have turned out to be a promising stem cell type for treatment. Here we show that MSCs can differentiate into cells expressing markers of retinal cells, inhibit production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by retinal tissue, and produce a number of growth and neuroprotective factors for retinal regeneration. All of these properties make MSCs a prospective cell type for cell-based therapy of age-related retinal degenerative diseases.


2011 ◽  
Vol 193 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Liu ◽  
Thomas A. Rando

Adult stem cells exist in most mammalian organs and tissues and are indispensable for normal tissue homeostasis and repair. In most tissues, there is an age-related decline in stem cell functionality but not a depletion of stem cells. Such functional changes reflect deleterious effects of age on the genome, epigenome, and proteome, some of which arise cell autonomously and others of which are imposed by an age-related change in the local milieu or systemic environment. Notably, some of the changes, particularly epigenomic and proteomic, are potentially reversible, and both environmental and genetic interventions can result in the rejuvenation of aged stem cells. Such findings have profound implications for the stem cell–based therapy of age-related diseases.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koraljka Baronica ◽  
Latica Friedrich

AbstractStem cells have long been in focus as potential therapy or even cure for a whole myriad of diseases. Many neurodegenerative disorders, both acute and chronic, are characterized by irreversible neuronal damage and loss, and only a few efficient treatment options exist. In contrast to many other tissues, the potential of self-regeneration of the central nervous system is highly limited. There is hope that stem cells could replace the damaged neuronal and glial cells, and provide biological and functional restoration based on their properties of self renewal and the ability to give rise to different cells. In recent years, the promising results of research on animal models has led to the establishment of the first clinical trials; although no clear evidence of therapeutic benefit for any of the conditions have been ascertained. Here we give a review of the current strategies of stem-cell based therapy for some of the more common neurological disorders, discussing the progress and current challenges, and giving an overview of future perspectives.


2011 ◽  
Vol 278 (1721) ◽  
pp. 3009-3016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandeep S. Singh ◽  
Robert E. MacLaren

Retinal degeneration due to genetic, diabetic and age-related disease is the most common cause of blindness in the developed world. Blindness occurs through the loss of the light-sensing photoreceptors; to restore vision, it would be necessary to introduce alternative photosensitive components into the eye. The recent development of an electronic prosthesis placed beneath the severely diseased retina has shown that subretinal stimulation may restore some visual function in blind patients. This proves that residual retinal circuits can be reawakened after photoreceptor loss and defines a goal for stem-cell-based therapy to replace photoreceptors. Advances in reprogramming adult cells have shown how it may be possible to generate autologous stem cells for transplantation without the need for an embryo donor. The recent success in culturing a whole optic cup in vitro has shown how large numbers of photoreceptors might be generated from embryonic stem cells. Taken together, these threads of discovery provide the basis for optimism for the development of a stem-cell-based strategy for the treatment of retinal blindness.


Author(s):  
Aisha Khan ◽  
Michael A. Bellio ◽  
Ivonne H. Schulman ◽  
Allan D. Levi ◽  
Bangon Longsomboon ◽  
...  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides guidance for expanded access to experimental therapies, which in turn plays an important role in the Twenty-first Century Cures Act mandate to advance cell-based therapy. In cases of incurable diseases where there is a lack of alternative treatment options, many patients seek access to cell-based therapies for the possibility of treatment responses demonstrated in clinical trials. Here, we describe the use of the FDA’s expanded access to investigational new drug (IND) to address rare and emergency conditions that include stiff-person syndrome, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain stem injury, complex congenital heart disease, ischemic stroke, and peripheral nerve injury. We have administered both allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and autologous Schwann cell (SC) therapy to patients upon emergency request using Single Patient Expanded Access (SPEA) INDs approved by the FDA. In this report, we present our experience with 10 completed SPEA protocols.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad T. Elnakish ◽  
Fatemat Hassan ◽  
Duaa Dakhlallah ◽  
Clay B. Marsh ◽  
Ibrahim A. Alhaider ◽  
...  

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimate of 17.3 million people died from CVDs in 2008 and by 2030, the number of deaths is estimated to reach almost 23.6 million. Despite the development of a variety of treatment options, heart failure management has failed to inhibit myocardial scar formation and replace the lost cardiomyocyte mass with new functional contractile cells. This shortage is complicated by the limited ability of the heart for self-regeneration. Accordingly, novel management approaches have been introduced into the field of cardiovascular research, leading to the evolution of gene- and cell-based therapies. Stem cell-based therapy (aka, cardiomyoplasty) is a rapidly growing alternative for regenerating the damaged myocardium and attenuating ischemic heart disease. However, the optimal cell type to achieve this goal has not been established yet, even after a decade of cardiovascular stem cell research. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in particular have been extensively investigated as a potential therapeutic approach for cardiac regeneration, due to their distinctive characteristics. In this paper, we focus on the therapeutic applications of MSCs and their transition from the experimental benchside to the clinical bedside.


2015 ◽  
Vol 156 (45) ◽  
pp. 1824-1833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Árpád Illés ◽  
Ádám Jóna ◽  
Zsófia Simon ◽  
Miklós Udvardy ◽  
Zsófia Miltényi

Introduction: Hodgkin lymphoma is a curable lymphoma with an 80–90% long-term survival, however, 30% of the patients develop relapse. Only half of relapsed patients can be cured with autologous stem cell transplantation. Aim: The aim of the authors was to analyze survival rates and incidence of relapses among Hodgkin lymphoma patients who were treated between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 2014. Novel therapeutic options are also summarized. Method: Retrospective analysis of data was performed. Results: A total of 715 patients were treated (382 men and 333 women; median age at the time of diagnosis was 38 years). During the studied period the frequency of relapsed patients was reduced from 24.87% to 8.04%. The numbers of autologous stem cell transplantations was increased among refracter/relapsed patients, and 75% of the patients underwent transplantation since 2000. The 5-year overall survival improved significantly (between 1980 and 1989 64.4%, between 1990 and 1999 82.4%, between 2000 and 2009 88.4%, and between 2010 and 2014 87.1%). Relapse-free survival did not change significantly. Conclusions: During the study period treatment outcomes improved. For relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma patients novel treatment options may offer better chance for cure. Orv. Hetil., 2015, 156(45), 1824–1833.


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