Glia in amyotrophic lateralsclerosis and spinal cord injury:common therapeutic targets

摘要

The toolkit for repairing damaged neurons in amyotrophiclateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury (SCI) is extremelylimited. Here, we reviewed the in vitro and in vivo studiesand clinical trials on nonneuronal cells in the neurodegenerativeprocesses common to both these conditions. Specialfocus was directed to microglia and astrocytes, becausetheir activation and proliferation, also known as neuroinflammation,is a key driver of neurodegeneration. Neuroinflammationis a multifaceted process that evolves duringthe disease course, and can be either beneficial or toxicto neurons. Given the fundamental regulatory functions ofglia, pathogenic mechanisms in neuroinflammation representpromising therapeutic targets. We also discussed neuroprotective,immunosuppressive, and stem-cell based approachesapplicable to both ALS and SCI.