ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Regeneration Therapy for Neurological Diseases

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 2508

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
Interests: stem cell; Alzheimer’s disease; neurodegenerative diseases; down syndrome; regeneration therapy; cancer stem cell; exosome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a Special Issue dedicated to molecular research in the field of Stem Cell Therapy for Neurological Diseases. This Special Issue aims to highlight the significant advancements made in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie stem cell-based therapies for various neurological conditions, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and spinal cord injuries. Over the years, stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating neurological diseases. It offers the potential for neural tissue regeneration and the restoration of lost functions. Molecular research plays a crucial role in unraveling the intricate processes involved in stem cell differentiation, transplantation, and their interactions with the host environment. This Special Issue seeks to assemble original research articles and reviews that focus on the molecular aspects of stem cell therapy, thus shedding light on the underlying mechanisms, optimizing differentiation protocols, developing innovative delivery systems, and exploring potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Topics of this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Identification and characterization of stem cell populations for neurological diseases.
  • Molecular mechanisms regulating stem cell differentiation into neural lineages.
  • Optimization of stem cell differentiation protocols for enhanced efficacy.
  • Innovative delivery systems for precise and targeted stem cell therapy.
  • Exploration of therapeutic targets and biomarkers for monitoring treatment outcomes.
  • The utilization of small molecules to increase or modulate the endogenous stem cell population.
  • Gene editing techniques for improving stem cell-based therapies.
  • Tissue engineering approaches to enhance neural regeneration.
  • Exosome-based therapies for neuroprotection and neuroregeneration. Stem cell therapy

Prof. Dr. Kiminobu Sugaya
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurological diseases
  • neural regeneration
  • stem cell differentiation
  • therapeutic targets
  • biomarkers
  • gene editing
  • tissue engineering
  • exosome-based therapies
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • spinal cord injuries
  • neural stem cells
  • neurodegeneration neuronal repair
  • transplantation
  • neuroinflammation
  • cell-based therapy
  • neuroprotective factors
  • neurotrophic factors
  • cell signaling
  • epigenetics
  • neuronal maturation
  • axonal regeneration
  • immunomodulation
  • neuroplasticity
  • graft-host interactions
  • drug delivery systems
  • personal therapies
  • disease modeling
  • neuronal connectivity
  • functional recovery
  • biomaterial scaffolds
  • cellular reprogramming

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 3336 KiB  
Article
3′-UTR Sequence of Exosomal NANOGP8 DNA as an Extracellular Vesicle-Localization Signal
by Manjusha Vaidya, Ayaka Kimura, Arjun Bajaj and Kiminobu Sugaya
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7294; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137294 - 2 Jul 2024
Viewed by 994
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are garnering attention as a safe and efficient biomolecule delivery system. EVs intrinsically play a crucial role in intercellular communication and pathophysiology by transporting functionally active DNA molecules. The internalized DNA pleiotropically affects the recipient cells. Considering these salient features, [...] Read more.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are garnering attention as a safe and efficient biomolecule delivery system. EVs intrinsically play a crucial role in intercellular communication and pathophysiology by transporting functionally active DNA molecules. The internalized DNA pleiotropically affects the recipient cells. Considering these salient features, an intentional incorporation of specific DNA gene cassettes into EVs and their subsequent delivery to the target cells has potential applications in genetic engineering. Moreover, efficient ways to insert the DNA into EVs during their biogenesis is valuable. Our current research is a step in the development of this technology. As such, cancer cells are known to secrete exosomes containing increased amounts of double-stranded DNA than normal cells. The clonal analysis in our previously published data revealed that exosomes released from various cancer cells contained a significantly larger population of NANOGP8 DNA with a 22-base pair insertion in the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) compared to those secreted by normal cells. This finding led us to hypothesize that the 22-base pair insertion may act as a signal to facilitate the incorporation of NANOGP8 DNA into the exosomes. To test this hypothesis, we compared the EV localization of an Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) gene fused with the NANOGP8 3′-UTR, with and without the 22-base pair insertion. The quantitative PCR analysis showed a significantly higher EGFP DNA accumulation in exosomes released from cells transfected with the gene cassette containing the 3′-UTR with the 22-base pair insertion. The discovery of a DNA localization signal in exosomal DNA’s 3’-UTR could pave the way for the development of an EV-based DNA delivery system. This technology will open new possibilities in genetic engineering and innovative therapies using nucleic acid medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regeneration Therapy for Neurological Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 6372 KiB  
Article
Modifying the Secretome of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Prolongs the Regenerative Treatment Window for Encephalopathy of Prematurity
by Josine E. G. Vaes, Suzanne M. Onstwedder, Chloe Trayford, Eva Gubbins, Mirjam Maas, Sabine H. van Rijt and Cora H. Nijboer
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6494; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126494 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 964
Abstract
Clinical treatment options to combat Encephalopathy of Prematurity (EoP) are still lacking. We, and others, have proposed (intranasal) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a potent therapeutic strategy to boost white matter repair in the injured preterm brain. Using a double-hit mouse model of [...] Read more.
Clinical treatment options to combat Encephalopathy of Prematurity (EoP) are still lacking. We, and others, have proposed (intranasal) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a potent therapeutic strategy to boost white matter repair in the injured preterm brain. Using a double-hit mouse model of diffuse white matter injury, we previously showed that the efficacy of MSC treatment was time dependent, with a significant decrease in functional and histological improvements after the postponement of cell administration. In this follow-up study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this loss of therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, we optimized the regenerative potential of MSCs by means of genetic engineering with the transient hypersecretion of beneficial factors, in order to prolong the treatment window. Though the cerebral expression of known chemoattractants was stable over time, the migration of MSCs to the injured brain was partially impaired. Moreover, using a primary oligodendrocyte (OL) culture, we showed that the rescue of injured OLs was reduced after delayed MSC coculture. Cocultures of modified MSCs, hypersecreting IGF1, LIF, IL11, or IL10, with primary microglia and OLs, revealed a superior treatment efficacy over naïve MSCs. Additionally, we showed that the delayed intranasal administration of IGF1-, LIF-, or IL11-hypersecreting MSCs, improved myelination and the functional outcome in EoP mice. In conclusion, the impaired migration and regenerative capacity of intranasally applied MSCs likely underlie the observed loss of efficacy after delayed treatment. The intranasal administration of IGF1-, LIF-, or IL11-hypersecreting MSCs, is a promising optimization strategy to prolong the window for effective MSC treatment in preterm infants with EoP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regeneration Therapy for Neurological Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop