Neuroregeneration and neuroprotection: prospects for growth factors and other bioactive substances clinical application

Abstract

Traumatic injuries, as well as degenerative diseases of the nervous system, are extremely common nowadays, there-fore, in clinical practice the use new methods for their treatment, such as stimulation of reparative neurogenesis by growth factors, is highly topical.

Aim. To review the published results of the experimental use of various growth factors for reparative neurogenesis stimulation and neuroprotection and to evaluate the prospects for their clinical application.

Methods. Publications’ search was carried out in open databases of scientific literature, such as PubMed, Cyberleninka and eLIBRARY.RU based on keywords and their combinations: «reparative neuro-genesis», «neuroprotection», «nervous tissue», «neurotrophic factors», «growth factors», «implantation» (in Russian and English). The search depth is 20 years.

Results. The sti mulating and depressing effects of the neurotrophins NGF, CNTF, NF3, NF4, BDNF, GDNF are analysed, as well as the Shh protein’s impact on the regeneration of neurons and glial cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems and the specificity of their action on specific cells. The influence of such nonspecific trophic factors as EGF, FGF, IGF-1, VEGF on the viability of cells of the nervous system is described, the results of the enhancement of neurogenesis by using stimulants of erythropoiesis and retinoic acid are given. The results of using various methods of growth factors implantation are demonstrated.

Conclusions. In the course of the study, it was found that in recent studies, mainly preclinical, both positive and negative results of the neurotrophins and nonspecific growth factors application for stimulating reparative neurogenesis and neuroprotection have been experimentally achieved. The specificity of their action on various neurocytes and the dependence of the effect on the chosen route of administration during therapy are noted. It is concluded that additional research is needed to re-solve the issue of recommending these factors for clinical application.