Pilot study in human healthy volunteers on the mechanisms underlying remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) – Targeting circulating immune cells and immune-related proteins

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a novel promising therapy for treatment of neurological diseases, including ischemic stroke. RIC consists of short cycles of ischemia in a distant non-vital organ that may protect other organs against ischemia. Extensive experimental data and some few clinical trials support the neuroprotective role of RIC in ischemic stroke. Nevertheless, the circulating factors involved in this inter-organ communication and neuroprotection are not clarified. This pilot study in humans characterized the innate and adaptive circulating immune cell populations following RIC. This analysis has a particular focus at 24 h after RIC to avoid circadian influence. In silico functional analysis of mass spectrometry data identified 15 immune-related proteins. Our results reveal an immune response following RIC.