The Role of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in the Treatment of Stroke

Stroke is a neurological disorder with high disability and mortality rates. Almost 80% of stroke cases are ischemic stroke, and the remaining are hemorrhagic stroke. The only approved treatment for ischemic stroke is thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy. However, these treatments cannot sufficiently relieve the disease outcome, and many patients remain disabled even after effective thrombolysis. Therefore, rehabilitative therapies are necessary to induce remodeling in the brain. Currently, stem cell transplantation, especially via the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), is considered a promising alternative therapy for stimulating neurogenesis and brain remodeling. iPSCs are generated from somatic cells by specific transcription factors. The biological functions of iPSCs are similar to those of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), including immunomodulation, reduced cerebral blood flow, cerebral edema, and autophagy. Although iPSC therapy plays a promising role in both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, its application is associated with certain limitations. Tumor formation, immune rejection, stem cell survival, and migration are some concerns associated with stem cell therapy. Therefore, cell-free therapy as an alternative method can overcome these limitations. This study reviews the therapeutic application of iPSCs in stroke models and the underlying mechanisms and constraints of these cells. Moreover, cell-free therapy using exosomes, apoptotic bodies, and microvesicles as alternative treatments is discussed.