Walker PA, Letourneau PA, Bedi S, Shah SK, Jimenez F, Jr CSC. Progenitor cells as remote "bioreactors": Neuroprotection via modulation of the systemic inflammatory response. World J Stem Cells 2011; 3(2): 9-18 [PMID: 21607132 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v3.i2.9]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Charles S Cox Jr, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 5.236, Houston, TX 77030, United States. charles.s.cox@uth.tmc.edu
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
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World J Stem Cells. Feb 26, 2011; 3(2): 9-18 Published online Feb 26, 2011. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v3.i2.9
Progenitor cells as remote "bioreactors": Neuroprotection via modulation of the systemic inflammatory response
Peter A Walker, Phillip A Letourneau, Supinder Bedi, Shinil K Shah, Fernando Jimenez, Charles S Cox Jr
Peter A Walker, Phillip A Letourneau, Shinil K Shah, Charles S Cox Jr, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, United States
Peter A Walker, Supinder Bedi, Shinil K Shah, Fernando Jimenez, Charles S Cox Jr, Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, United States
Shinil K Shah, Charles S Cox Jr, Michael E DeBakey Institute for Comparative Cardiovascular Science and Biomedical Devices, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77840, United States
Author contributions: Walker PA, Letourneau PA, Bedi S, Shah SK, Jimenez F and Cox CS Jr wrote this editorial together.
Supported by Grants NIH T32 GM 08 79201; M01 RR 02558; Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital Foundation
Correspondence to: Charles S Cox Jr, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 5.236, Houston, TX 77030, United States. charles.s.cox@uth.tmc.edu
Telephone: +1-713-5007307 Fax: +1-713-5007296
Received: May 19, 2010 Revised: January 5, 2011 Accepted: January 12, 2011 Published online: February 26, 2011
Abstract
Acute central nervous system (CNS) injuries such as spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and ischemic stroke are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs worldwide. Preliminary research has shown potential neuroprotection associated with adult tissue derived stem/progenitor cell based therapies. While initial research indicated that engraftment and transdifferentiation into neural cells could explain the observed benefit, the exact mechanism remains controversial. A second hypothesis details localized stem/progenitor cell engraftment with alteration of the loco-regional milieu; however, the limited rate of cell engraftment makes this theory less likely. There is a growing amount of preclinical data supporting the idea that, after intravenous injection, stem/progenitor cells interact with immunologic cells located in organ systems distant to the CNS, thereby altering the systemic immunologic/inflammatory response. Such distant cell “bioreactors” could modulate the observed post-injury pro-inflammatory environment and lead to neuroprotection. In this review, we discuss the current literature detailing the above mechanisms of action for adult stem/progenitor cell based therapies in the CNS.
