Stem cell transplantation works in mice to treat stroke

A stem cell transplant in mice has been successful in treating stroke , one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide: within five weeks, the animals' brains showed clear signs of recovery , with lower levels of inflammation and increased growth of new neurons and blood vessels in damaged areas . This is the promising result of a study published in the journal Nature Communications, led by the University of Southern California and the University of Zurich. This could allow for the extension of the narrow window of just 4.5 hours within which treatments are currently required: the transplant was performed one week after the stroke.

Researchers led by Ruslan Rust of USC and Christian Tackenberg of the Swiss University have reprogrammed human blood cells into stem cells capable of transforming into neurons , and transplanted them into the damaged brain tissue of mice suffering from strokes.

After five weeks, the treated animals showed greater proliferation of neurons and blood vessels, a higher number of connections between neurons , and even less leakage from the blood-brain barrier , the filter that prevents harmful substances from entering the brain. Over the same period of time, the treated mice fully recovered their motor skills .

The study's authors now aim to evaluate the results over longer periods . "If we can help people by transplanting stem cells into a human stroke patient," says Rust, "we want these cells to remain there for the rest of their lives. So our goal," adds the researcher, "is to analyze the entire lifespan of a mouse , see what happens to the cells, and understand if the recovery is lasting."