by Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the potential source of stem cells in the brains of patients with brain injuries. The study, published in Nature Medicine, reveals that specific cells in the brain become active in disease situations, resembling neural stem cells. Furthermore, a protein called Galectin 3 has been identified as a regulator of these cells, potentially serving as a target for therapy and improving treatments for brain injuries in the future.
Brain injuries, such as trauma, stroke, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases, result in the irreversible loss of neurons, leading to significant impairments in brain function. The prevalence of these disorders is rapidly increasing worldwide, yet effective treatment options are still lacking. The inability to replace lost neurons and the unfavorable injury environment hinder the development of viable treatments.
However, previous preclinical research has demonstrated the promise of a specific type of glial cells called astrocytes in responding to brain injuries. Astrocytes, which play a crucial role in supporting and protecting neurons, have the ability to resume cell proliferation, offering a mechanism to shield the injury-affected brain from immune cell invasion. Some of these astrocytes also acquire properties of neural stem cells.
Stem cells are cells that can self-renew and generate different types of cells in an organ. Neural stem cells can self-renew and generate neurons and glial cells. Scientists led by Prof. Magdalena Götz have discovered that in the adult human brain, astrocytes start proliferating and acquiring neural stem cell properties when there is a disease-related disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This specific astrocyte plasticity at the injury site is highly correlated with the upregulation of Galectin 3, a protein that serves as a new marker for proliferating human astrocytes.
Dr. Swetlana Sirko, the first author of the study, explains, “Given the importance of astrocyte proliferation in clinical evaluations of neuropathological state in patients, our findings are relevant diagnostically, but also add to our understanding of how diagnosis-specific changes in composition of cerebrospinal fluid, and in particular an upregulation of Galectin 3 binding protein (LGALS3BP), support the maintenance of astrocyte plasticity in the human brain.”
The identification of the Galectin 3-LGALS3BP axis as an inducer of astrocyte plasticity has significant implications for the discovery of biomarkers that can predict proliferative astrogliosis and modulate their beneficial effects in the brain.
By uncovering the crucial regulators of astrocyte proliferation in brain injuries, the researchers have paved the way for potential clinical applications of these biomarkers as indicators of a beneficial reaction by glial cells. Furthermore, the presence of cells with stem cell potential in the brains of patients has been identified, offering an exciting new cell source for replacing lost neurons.
Magdalena Götz, the corresponding author of the study, emphasizes the importance of understanding the reaction of glial cells to injury, stating, “Our analysis with this allegedly boring support cell type now showed the presence of neural stem cells in the brains of patients with trauma or stroke. This is an exciting novel cell source for replacing lost neurons.”
This groundbreaking discovery not only sheds light on the specific reaction of astrocytes in different injury conditions but also provides hope for the development of innovative treatments for patients with brain injuries. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved and translate these findings into clinical practice.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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