Bone marrow stem cell-stimulating factors and brain recovery after stroke

Abstract

Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term neurological disability in adults worldwide. In the United States alone, stroke presents a serious public health problem, and it has created heavy public and personal financial burdens. By contrast to the severity of stroke in public health, the treatment of stroke is very limited. Currently, a clot-dissolving drug (rtPA) is the only treatment available for ischemic stroke. The majority of stroke patients are not able to receive this treatment due to the narrow therapeutic window: 4.5 h after stroke onset. Developing new treatment that fits the majority of stroke patients is a huge challenge for stroke research. Over the past decade, numerous studies have shown the therapeutic potential of stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), the two essential hematopoietic growth factors, in acute, subacute, and chronic stroke. In this chapter, we have reviewed the biological function of SCF and G-CSF in both the hematopoietic system and central nervous system, summarized the progress of SCF and G-CSF research in adult ischemic stroke in both basic and clinical studies, and discussed the directions for future studies.