CD34+ stem cell treatment for acute ischemic stroke (678.20)

Abstract

Stroke is the most common cause of significant acquired disability in adults for which only limited therapeutic strategies exist, limited by a brief therapeutic window (<4 h). No pharmacological compound to date has been found to increase recovery reliably once brain injury has occurred. Stem cell transplantation techniques offer novel approaches that may enhance endogenous repair mechanisms, promote brain recovery and regeneration, and may ultimately reduce neurological deficits in stroke patients. While showing positive results, current stem cell therapies are highly inefficient, with a tiny percentage of injected cells arriving at the intended injured site.Following on from our previous open label phase 1 study in stroke patients, to determine the safety and feasibility of treatment with immunoselected CD34+, we have used a murine model of ischemic stroke (the middle cerebral artery occlusion model) to investigate the migration of CD34+ stem cells to the infarcted area. Using both intravital and confocal intravital microscopy we have been able to explore both leukocyte and stem cell trafficking in the murine brain pre and post stroke. Both leukocyte rolling and adherence were increased in mice subjected to stroke vs. sham mice. Stem cell treatment reduced these leukocyte interactions, with effects observed upto two weeks post stroke. These novel data suggest a therapeutic potential role for the use of CD34+ stem cells for acute ischemic stroke