AUTHOR=Marei Hany E. , Hasan A. , Rizzi R. , Althani A. , Afifi N. , Cenciarelli C. , Caceci Thomas , Shuaib Ashfaq 

TITLE=Potential of Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Ischemic Stroke

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.00034

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2018.00034

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Ischemic stroke is one of the major health problems worldwide. The only FDA approved antithrombotic drug for acute ischemic stroke is the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The very narrow time window of 3-5 hours required to ensure its effectiveness, but tPA’s  potential to exacerbate blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage (thereby increasing  hemorrhagic incidents)  necessitates a search for  therapeutic alternatives. Stem cell based therapy for ischemic stroke seems to be promising candidate. Several studies have been devoted to assessing the therapeutic potential of different types of stem cells such as neural stem cells (NSC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), embryonic stem cells (ESC), and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells (hiPSC-NSCs) as treatments for ischemic stroke. The results of these studies are  intriguing  but many of them have  presented conflicting results.  Additionally, the mechanism(s) by which engrafted stem/progenitor cells exert their actions are  to a large extent unknown. In this review, we will provide a synopsis of  different preclinical and clinical studies related to the use of stem cell based stroke therapy, and  explore possible beneficial/ detrimental outcomes  associated with the use of different types of stem cells. Moreover, a list  of completed and ongoing preclinical and clinical  studies  is provided, and their major outcomes are discussed. Due to limited/short  time window implemented in most of the recorded clinical trials about the use of stem cells as potential therapeutic intervention for stroke, further clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of the intervention in a longer time window after cellular engraftment are still needed.