Astrocytes: Therapeutic targets for stroke

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Stroke is the leading cause of mortality globally, ultimately leading to severe, lifelong neurological impairments. Patients often suffer from a secondary cascade of damage, including neuroinflammation, cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Regrettably, there is a paucity of clinically available therapeutics to address these issues. Emerging evidence underscores the pivotal roles of astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the brain, throughout the various stages of ischemic stroke. In this comprehensive review, we initially provide an overview of the fundamental physiological functions of astrocytes in the brain, emphasizing their critical role in modulating neuronal homeostasis, synaptic activity, and blood-brain barrier integrity. We then delve into the growing body of evidence that highlights the functional diversity and heterogeneity of astrocytes in the context of ischemic stroke. Their well-established contributions to energy provision, metabolic regulation, and neurotransmitter homeostasis, as well as their emerging roles in mitochondrial recovery, neuroinflammation regulation, and oxidative stress modulation following ischemic injury, are discussed in detail. We also explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning these functions, with particular emphasis on recently identified targets within astrocytes that offer promising prosp

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

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