Affiliations 

  • 1 Neuroinflammation Group, Immunology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
  • 2 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 2021 11;246(22):2399-2406.
PMID: 33715528 DOI: 10.1177/1535370221997052

Abstract

Nitric oxide is a versatile mediator formed by enzymes called nitric oxide synthases. It has numerous homeostatic functions and important roles in inflammation. Within the inflamed brain, microglia and astrocytes produce large amounts of nitric oxide during inflammation. Excessive nitric oxide causes neuronal toxicity and death and mesenchymal stem cells can be used as an approach to limit the neuronal damage caused by neuroinflammation. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy ameliorates inflammation and neuronal damage in disease models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neuroinflammatory disorders. Interestingly, we have reported that in vitro, mesenchymal stem cells themselves contribute to a rise in nitric oxide levels through microglial cues. This may be an undesirable effect and highlights a possible need to explore acellular approaches for mesenchymal stem cell therapy in the central nervous system.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.