Stem Cell Secretome as Theranostics for Traumatic Brain Injury

Résumé fourni par la source

Traumatic brain injury ( TBI ) is a significant public health concern that is the leading cause of disability and mortality the world over. The injury can be classified as primary or secondary due to its pathogenic mechanism. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial malfunction, excitotoxicity, and apoptotic cell death are some factors that result in secondary injuries. Currently, interventions such as drugs, surgical procedures, and rehabilitation therapy are used to help individuals with TBI; nevertheless, these interventions have unsatisfactory results. Over the past few decades, preclinical and clinical studies have proven that stem cell therapy is an effective treatment for TBI. However, recent developments showed that the reparative activities of stem cells are mediated through the secretion of multiple bioactive molecules, a concept known as secretome. The secretome is the collection of all the bioactive molecules that stem cells release, which can be explored to produce ready-to-use therapeutics, and their applications as diagnostic biomarkers would play an essential role in TBI diagnosis and treatment. This chapter highlights recent advancements in stem cell research, focusing on the stem cell−derived secretome (e.g., soluble and insoluble factors) as therapeutic agents for TBI. The chapter also discusses how some of these secreted factors can be employed as biomarkers for the monitoring and treatment of TBI. In addition, the chapter highlights the potential of the insoluble secreted factors − extracellular vesicles (e.g., exosomes) − as delivery vehicles for therapeutics in the management of TBI. Recent technologies such as bioengineering and microfluidic approaches aimed at improving the efficacy of stem cell secretome as theranostic for TBI are also discussed. The challenges and how the issues raised can be addressed for effective clinical utilization of secretome as therapeutics and biomarkers are also highlighted.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.