Stem cell therapy: a novel treatment option for cerebral malaria?

Hui Qian,Wei Wang,Jun Cao

doi:10.1186/s13287-015-0138-6

Abstract

Cerebral malaria, a severe form of the disease, is one of the most severe complications of infection with Plasmodium parasites and a leading cause of malaria mortality. Currently available antimalarial therapy has proven insufficient to prevent neurological complications and death in all cases of cerebral malaria. Souza and colleagues observed that transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) increased survival, reduced parasitemia, decreased malaria pigment accumulation in the spleen, liver and kidney, elevated Kupffer cell count in liver, alleviated renal injury and lung inflammation, and improved lung mechanics in an experimental mouse model of cerebral malaria. Although plenty of challenges lie ahead, their findings show the promise of BM-MSC therapy for the treatment of cerebral malaria.

Highlights

Cerebral malaria, a severe form of the disease, is one of the most severe complications of infection with Plasmodium parasites and a leading cause of malaria mortality
In a recent issue of Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Souza and colleagues [1] observed that administration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)) increased survival and reduced parasitemia and malaria pigment deposition in the spleen, liver, kidney and lung in an experimental mouse model of cerebral malaria
With the hope of conquering parasitic diseases, stem cell therapy has been introduced for parasitic infections since the 1990s [3], with the most successful attempt seen in Chagas disease [4], an emerging global health threat caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that may cause fatal heart diseases [5]

Summary

Introduction

A severe form of the disease, is one of the most severe complications of infection with Plasmodium parasites and a leading cause of malaria mortality. As one of the most severe complications of infection with Plasmodium parasites, cerebral malaria may cause neurological disorders that manifest as severe headache, drowsiness, confusion, coma, and convulsion, and affect other vital organs such as lung, kidney, heart, spleen and liver.

Results

Conclusion