Advances in stromal cell therapy for management of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Deposition of misfolded proteins and synaptic failure affects the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Its progression results in amnesia and cognitive impairment. Absence of treatment is due to excessive loss of neurons in the patients and the delayed effects of drugs. The enhanced pluripotency, proliferation, differentiation, and recombination characteristics of stromal cells into nerve cells and glial cells present them as a potential treatment for AD. Successful evidence of action in animal models along with positive results in preclinical studies further encourage its utilization for AD treatment. With regard to humans, cell replacement therapy involving mesenchymal stromal cells, induced-pluripotent stromal cells, human embryonic stromal cells, and neural stems show promising results in clinical trials. However, further research is required prior to its use as stromal cell therapy in AD related disorders. The current review deals with the mechanism of development of anomalies such as Alzheimer's and the prospective applications of stromal cells for treatment.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s; cellular therapy; clinical trial; management; mesenchymal stromal cell.

FIGURE 1

Mechanism of neurogenic signaling of stromal cells (MBD1: Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein one; NGF: Nerve Growth Factor; NT-3: Neurotrophin three; MeCP2: Methyl-CpG-binding protein two; BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; IGF-1: Insulin-like growth factor; NT-4/5: Neurotrophin 4/5; VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor; MeCP2: Methyl-CpG-binding protein two; FGF: Fibroblast growth factor; Mll1: Mixed-lineage leukemia 1).

FIGURE 2

Strategies of stromal cell utilization in AD therapies.