IMR Press / FBL / Volume 29 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2903114
Open Access Review
The Role of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: From Biological Mechanism to Practical Implications
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1 Clinical Neurology Unit, Head-Neck and Neurosciences Department, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, ASUFC, 33100 Udine, Italy
2 Department of Medicine (DMED), Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, ASUFC, 33100 Udine, Italy
3 Neurology Unit, Head-Neck and Neurosciences Department, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, ASUFC, 33100 Udine, Italy
4 Eye Clinic, Policlinico Umberto I, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
5 Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
6 Neurosurgery Unit, Head-Neck and Neurosciences Department, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, ASUFC, 33100 Udine, Italy
*Correspondence: markzeppieri@hotmail.com (Marco Zeppieri)
These authors contributed equally.
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2024, 29(3), 114; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2903114
Submitted: 27 November 2023 | Revised: 2 January 2024 | Accepted: 24 January 2024 | Published: 20 March 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in clinical features such as muscle weakness, paralysis, and ultimately, respiratory failure. Nowadays, there is not effective treatment to reverse the progression of the disease, that leads to death within 3–5 years after the onset. Nevertheless, the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) technology could be the answer, providing disease modelling, drug testing, and cell-based therapies for this pathology. The aim of this work was to conduct a literature review of the past 5 years about the role of iPS in ALS, to better define the neurobiological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and the potential future therapies. The review also deals with advanced and currently available technologies used to reprogram cell lines and generate human motor neurons in vitro, which represent the source to study the pathological processes, the relationship between phenotype and genotype, the disease progression and the potential therapeutic targets of these group of disorders. Specific treatment options with stem cells involve Advance Gene Editing Technology, neuroprotective agents, and cells or exosomes transplantation, aimed to replace dead or damaged nerve cells. In summary, this review comprehensively addresses the role of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in motor neuron diseases (MND), with a focus on physiopathology, diagnostic and prognostic implications, specific and potential future treatment options. Understanding the biological mechanisms and practical implications of hPSCs in MND is crucial for advancing therapeutic strategies and improving outcomes for patients affected by these devastating diseases.

Keywords
stem cells
ALS
motor neuron disease
neurodegenerative disease
human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)
cell therapy
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
drug screening
disease models
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