Gupta Abhinav, Ghosh Arya, Sharma Neelima, Gorain Bapi
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
Mol Neurobiol. 2025 May 6. doi: 10.1007/s12035-025-05003-3.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia in the elderly, affecting approximately 50 million individuals globally with significant impose in health and financial burdens. Despite extensive research, no current treatment effectively halts the progression of AD, primarily due to its complex pathophysiology of the disease and the limitations of available therapeutic approaches. In this context, stem cell transplantation has emerged as a promising treatment strategy, harnessing the regenerative capabilities of various stem cell types, including neural stem cells (NSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This review explores the potential of stem cell-based therapies in AD, emphasizing the necessity for continued innovation to overcome existing challenges and enhance therapeutic efficacy. Briefly, NSCs have shown potential in improving cognitive function and reducing AD pathology through targeted transplantation and neuroprotection; however, challenges such as optimizing transplantation protocols and ensuring effective cell integration persist. Concurrently, ESCs, with their pluripotent nature, present opportunities for modulating AD and generating therapeutic neurons, but ethical concerns and immunogenicity present significant obstacles to clinical application. Moreover, MSCs have demonstrated potential in ameliorating AD-related pathology and promoting neurogenesis, offering a more accessible alternative with fewer ethical constraints. The review concludes that the combinatory approaches of different stem cells may provide synergistic benefits in addressing AD-related pathophysiology, warranting further exploration in future research.
阿尔茨海默病(AD)是老年人痴呆症最常见的病因,全球约有5000万人受其影响,造成了巨大的健康和经济负担。尽管进行了广泛研究,但目前尚无有效治疗方法能有效阻止AD的进展,主要原因在于其复杂的疾病病理生理学以及现有治疗方法的局限性。在此背景下,干细胞移植已成为一种有前景的治疗策略,利用包括神经干细胞(NSCs)、胚胎干细胞(ESCs)和间充质干细胞(MSCs)在内的各种干细胞类型的再生能力。本综述探讨了基于干细胞的疗法在AD治疗中的潜力,强调持续创新以克服现有挑战并提高治疗效果的必要性。简而言之,神经干细胞通过靶向移植和神经保护在改善认知功能和减少AD病理方面显示出潜力;然而,诸如优化移植方案和确保有效细胞整合等挑战依然存在。同时,胚胎干细胞因其多能性,为调节AD和生成治疗性神经元提供了机会,但伦理问题和免疫原性给临床应用带来了重大障碍。此外,间充质干细胞已证明在改善AD相关病理和促进神经发生方面具有潜力,提供了一种更易获取且伦理限制较少的替代方案。综述得出结论,不同干细胞的联合方法可能在解决AD相关病理生理学方面提供协同益处,值得未来研究进一步探索。