Bioelectronic medicine potentiates endogenous NSCs for neurodegenerative diseases

Maifu Yu; Pin Sun; Changkai Sun; Wei-Lin Jin

doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2023.08.005

Bioelectronic medicine potentiates endogenous NSCs for neurodegenerative diseases

Trends Mol Med. 2023 Nov;29(11):886-896. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.08.005. Epub 2023 Sep 19.

Authors

Maifu Yu¹, Pin Sun², Changkai Sun³, Wei-Lin Jin⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
³ Research & Educational Center for the Control Engineering of Translational Precision Medicine (R-ECCE-TPM), School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China. Electronic address: sunck2@dlut.edu.cn.
⁴ Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: ldyy_jinwl@lzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37735022
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.08.005

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are commonly observed and while no therapy is universally applicable, cell-based therapies are promising. Stem cell transplantation has been investigated, but endogenous neural stem cells (eNSCs), despite their potential, especially with the development of bioelectronic medicine and biomaterials, remain understudied. Here, we compare stem cell transplantation therapy with eNSC-based therapy and summarize the combined use of eNSCs and developing technologies. The rapid development of implantable biomaterials has resulted in electronic stimulation becoming increasingly effective and decreasingly invasive. Thus, the combination of bioelectronic medicine and eNSCs has substantial potential for the treatment of NDs.

Keywords: electronic stimulation; endogenous neural stem cells; implantable biomaterial; minimally invasive therapy; neurodegenerative diseases.

Publication types

Review