The new replenishment of immune cells that maintain order in the brain can help in the treatment of a number of conditions – from super -led genetic disorders to more common conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

“This is a very promising approach,” says Paskualin Coilla, studying genetic and cell therapy at the University of Stanford Medical School. “But there is a nuance – the toxicity of the procedure.”

Microglia is immune cells that patrol the brainabsorbing foreign invaders, damaged cells and harmful substances. They can help protect neurons during seizures and strokes, and also eliminate unnecessary connections between neurons in the process of normal brain development.

“Microglia performs many important functions. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, ”says psychiatrist Chris Bennett from the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital.

Among these diseases, both rare genetic anomalies that directly affect microglia and more common conditions like Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as aging in itself, clarifies the neurobiologist Bo Peng from the University of Fudan.

Idea – on the surface

This led researchers to the idea of ​​treatment by replacing pathogens. However, this is not so simple. Typically, doctors replace human immune cells through bone marrow transplantation, which provides a fresh supply of stem cells, reborn into immune. But microlytes are almost exclusively in the central nervous system and is replenished by division.

Nevertheless, in this way, microlytes can be updated at least partially. over, the Pan team checked this method on mice and eight people with a rare deadly disease-CSF1R-compass (CAMP). Results It can be considered successful – within two years after the operation, their condition did not deteriorate.

One of the possible reasons for the success of the test may be the nature of the disease itself, since people with CAMP usually produce little microlytes, and this can free up the space to take up the transplanted cells, Bennett believes.

The main catch

The creation of this niche for new microglia cells is the main problem. To free up space for transplanted cells, you need to destroy as much of your own brain microglia as possible, which requires high doses of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which can ditch the already weak patient. This toxicity, about which Knoil spoke above, limits the use of a promising methodology.

Stem cell biologist Marius Vernig from a medical school of Stanford University and his team went other way. They raised in vitro microlytes and introduced the obtained cells directly into the brain of mice. Thanks to this, you can do with irradiation of not the whole body, but only the head.

The impact of radiation on the head is still unsafe, Pan is sure: for example, such treatment can kill stem cells in the brain that give rise to new neurons.

Trojan horse for the brain

Other methods can lead to safer techniques in the future. At the beginning of this year Tested The drug that kills microlia to free up the place of transplanted cells.

When safety issues will be resolved, the replacement of microlytes can be very promising for the treatment of multifactorial disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, cells can be used as transporters of drugs through a hematoencephalic barrier. “They are like a Trojan horse for the brain,” Coollah compares.

In the meantime, it makes sense to focus on the genetic states that are directly aimed at these immune cells, according to a neuropathologist Marco Prince from the University of Freiburg. “Let’s start what is easier. I hope that in the future we will deal with more complex diseases, ”he summed up.

Source Notice:

This article is republished from
naukatv.ru
on 2025-09-26 15:04:00.
Content and views belong to the original publisher, not UAE Today News.