More than 6 million Americans live with disabilities following a stroke. Even mild strokes can leave survivors with arm and leg weakness, poor muscle control and memory lapses that worsen with age.
Now neuroscientists have found that patients born without a gene called CCR5 recover better from mild stroke than patients with the gene. Published in the journal Cell, the findings could lead to the first pill to reverse the physical and mental aftermath of mild stroke.
"This is the first time that a human gene has been linked to a better recovery from stroke," said senior author. "Our discovery offers exciting potential for improving patients' health and enhancing their quality of life."
CCR5 plays multiple roles in the body. In HIV, the gene unlocks the cellular doorway that the virus must enter to infect the immune system. It's also the same gene that Chinese scientists reportedly altered with a genetic engineering technique known as CRISPR to edit human embryos.
The current study builds upon earlier research in mice showing that suppressing CCR5 enhances neurons' ability to form new connections and rewire the brain after injury. The 2016 study also demonstrated that maraviroc, an FDA-approved drug that targets CCR5 to slow HIV progression in patients, improved learning and memory in mice.
Because maraviroc blocks CCR5, the team hypothesized that the drug may also accelerate recovery from stroke. The lab partnered with pharmacologist Esther Shohami at Hebrew University to test the drug's effectiveness in suppressing CCR5 in a mouse model.
"We found that maraviroc blocked CCR5 in mice and boosted the animals' recovery from traumatic brain injury and stroke," said the senior author. "The big question left to answer was whether eliminating CCR5 would produce the same results in people."
Knowing that CCR5 deletion is common in Ashkenazi Jews, The team reached out to researchers at Tel Aviv University. In a lucky coincidence, the Israeli scientists were already following 446 stroke patients in an observational study. The study focused only on patients who had suffered mild or moderate strokes. The team documented the patients' improvements in walking, arm and leg control, and other types of movement.
"People missing the CCR5 gene showed significantly greater recovery in motor skills, language and sensory function." One year after stroke, patients missing CCR5 also scored higher in tests assessing memory, verbal function and attention.
Neurons produce CCR5 only during or after stroke. The CCR5 deletion appears to promote recovery by enhancing plasticity--the ability of the brain to rewire itself after injury.
"When you suffer a stroke, part of your brain dies, severing those cells' connections with neurons in other regions. That's why stroke patients often suffer paralysis or lose speech," the senior author said. "When CCR5 is missing or blocked, neurons can make new connections and rewire the brain, enabling patients to regain some lost function."
The scientists' next step will be to launch a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of the drug maraviroc on stroke patients with the CCR5 gene.
https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30107-2
Latest News
Immune cells identified as…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
TB blood test which could d…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
Propionate supplementation…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
Role of human Kallistatin i…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Mar
Addressing both flu and COV…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Mar
Other Top Stories
Llama-derived antibodies provide universal flu protection
Read more
Gut bacteria may control movement
Read more
Immigration to the United States changes a person's microbiome
Read more
How gut microbiota recovers after antibiotic exposure
Read more
What triggers cell division?
Read more
Protocols
All-optical presynaptic pla…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
Epigenomic tomography for p…
By newseditor
Posted 20 Mar
A mouse DRG genetic toolkit…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
An optogenetic method for t…
By newseditor
Posted 13 Mar
Profiling native pulmonary…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Mar
Publications
BHLHE40/41 regulate microgl…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Balancing neuronal activity…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
OSBP-mediated PI(4)P-choles…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Mar
Integrated plasma proteomic…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
APP antisense oligonucleoti…
By newseditor
Posted 27 Mar
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar