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Cell therapy for age-related disorders: myocardial infarction and stroke--a mini-review

Brent A Williams1, Armand Keating

  • 1Cell Therapy Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. brentw@uhnres.utoronto.ca

Gerontology
|September 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Cell therapy shows promise for heart attack and stroke recovery. While some studies improve heart function, stroke treatments are still in early stages, demonstrating safety and initial benefits.

Area of Science:

  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are leading causes of death and disability in the elderly.
  • Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation is established for various diseases.
  • Emerging research explores stem cells in the heart and brain for therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review clinical evidence for cell therapies in myocardial infarction and stroke.
  • To assess the efficacy and safety of stem cell treatments for these conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of clinical trials.
  • Identification of studies using cell therapies for myocardial infarction and stroke.

Main Results:

  • Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilization of HSPC showed no benefit for acute myocardial infarction.
  • Direct HSPC delivery improved hemodynamic endpoints (e.g., ejection fraction) in myocardial infarction.
  • One trial showed improved clinical outcomes (death, re-infarction, heart failure) for myocardial infarction.
  • Early stroke trials with various cell types (HSPC, mesenchymal stromal cells) show safety and some benefits.

Conclusions:

  • Cell therapy can improve hemodynamic parameters in myocardial infarction patients.
  • Cell therapy for stroke is an emerging field with preliminary evidence of safety and efficacy in small trials.
Abstract

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