Neuroregenerative strategies in the brain: emerging significance of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7)

Abstract

Every year thousands of people suffer from brain injuries and stroke, and develop motor, sensory, and cognitive problems as a result of neuronal loss in the brain. Unfortunately, the damaged brain has a limited ability to enact repair and current modes of treatment are not sufficient to offset the damage. An extensive list of growth factors, neurotrophic factors, cytokines, and drugs has been explored as potential therapies. However, only a limited number of them may actually have the potential to effectively offset the brain injury or stroke-related problems. One of the treatments considered for future brain repair is bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7), a factor currently used in patients to treat non-neurological diseases. The clinical application of BMP7 is based on its neuroprotective role in stroke animal models. This paper reviews the current approaches considered for brain repair and discusses the novel convergent strategies by which BMP7 potentially can induce neuroregeneration.

Chordin-induced lineage plasticity of adult SVZ neuroblasts after demyelination

“…Many experimental procedures result in demyelination or impaired remyelination 28,38 . BMP-7 exerts protective and regenerative effects in stroke 28,39,40 , BMP-6 reduces ischemia/reperfusion injury 36 , and BMPs have a protective role in models of spinal cord injury 38 and traumatic brain injury 41,42 . In animal models of demyelination, BMP expression is upregulated in demyelinated lesions 30 , BMP-4 expression is upregulated after focal demyelination 43,44 , and BMP-4, BMP-6 and BMP-7 expression is enhanced in experimental immune encephalomyelitis 45 .…”

Adhesion molecule-modified biomaterials for neural tissue engineering

“…Damage to the central nervous system, which effects at least 2 million people per year (Bani-Yaghoub et al, 2008; Ruff et al, 2008), can be devastating to the patient. Unlike neurons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), those of the central nervous system (CNS) do not regenerate under normal conditions (Schmidt and Leach, 2003).…”

Neuroprotective Effects of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Bilateral Common Carotid Arteries Occlusion Model of Cerebral Ischemia in Rat

“…Cerebral ischemia can lead to sensory, motor, cognition, and spatial learning disorders depending upon the location of the ischemic event [9–11]. Motor disorders associated with cerebral ischemia lead to disabilities that affect quality of life [12].…”