Title:Targeting Brain-spleen Crosstalk After Stroke: New Insights Into Stroke Pathology and Treatment
Volume: 19
Issue: 9
Author(s): Dong Han, Hang Liu, Yan Gao and Juan Feng*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning,China
Keywords:
Stroke, spleen, immune response, splenic atrophy, splenectomy, stem cell therapy.
Abstract: The immune response following acute stroke has received significant attention. The
spleen is an important immune organ, and more and more studies have shown that brain-spleen
crosstalk after stroke plays an important role in its development and prognosis. There are many
mechanisms of spleen activation after stroke, including activation of the sympathetic nervous system,
the production of chemokines, and antigen presentation in the damaged brain. The changes in
the spleen after stroke are mainly reflected in morphology, changes to immune cells, and cytokine
production. Once activated, the spleen contracts, undergoes cellular changes, and releases inflammatory
cytokines. Some studies have also shown that spleen cells specifically migrate to the site of
primary brain injury. The size of the spleen is also negatively correlated with infarct volume — the
more serious the spleen atrophy, the larger the infarct volume. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding
of the dynamic response of the spleen to stroke will not only enable understanding of the
evolution of ischemic brain injury but will also enable the identification of potential targets for
stroke treatment. Here, we review recent basic and clinical drug studies on the spleen as a target for
the treatment of stroke, focusing on therapeutic strategies for regulating the splenic response and
inhibiting secondary brain injury.