Therapeutic Strategies for Ischemic Stroke: Modulating the Adult Neural Stem Cell Niche through the Wnt/β-catenin Pathway

Abstract

Stroke is a prominent contributor to mortality and impairment on a global scale. Ischemic stroke accounts for approximately 80% of stroke cases and is caused by occlusion of cerebral blood vessels. Enhancing neurogenesis through the modulation of the neural stem cell niche in the adult brain is a promising therapeutic strategy for individuals afflicted with ischemic stroke. Neurogenesis results in the generation of newborn neurons that serve as replacements for deceased neural cells within the ischemic core, thereby playing a significant role in the process of neural restoration subsequent to cerebral ischemia. Research has shown that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway can augment neurogenesis following cerebral ischemia, suggesting that this pathway is a potentially beneficial therapeutic target for managing ischemic stroke. This review provides an extensive analysis of the current knowledge regarding the involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in promoting neurogenesis, thereby offering a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention in the context of ischemic stroke or other neurological impairments.

Keywords

• wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
• neurogenesis
• neural stem cells
• ischemic stroke
• lineage tracing