University of Helsinki and Taiwanese researchers have found a recent solution to remove waste from the brain after hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage, and bleeding into the brain tissue, is a devastating neurological condition affecting tens of millions of individuals annually. It has a high mortality rate, while survivors are affected by long-term neurological deficits. No medication has been found to support brain recovery following hemorrhage.

In a world collaboration, researchers from the Brain Repair laboratory, University of Helsinki, along with their Taiwanese colleagues investigated whether a protein called cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) has potential as a treatment for brain hemorrhage.

Researchers suggest that cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor, a protein being currently tested for Parkinson’s disease treatment, also has therapeutic effects and enhances immune cell’s response after brain hemorrhage.

The authors found that the administration of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor accelerates hemorrhagic lesion resolution, reduces brain swelling, and improves functional outcomes in an animal model of brain hemorrhage.

Surprisingly, we found that cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor acts on immune cells within the bleeding brain, by increasing anti-inflammatory mediators and suppressing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines which are liable for cell signaling. This can be a significant step towards the treatment of injuries attributable to brain hemorrhage, for which we currently haven’t any cure.”

Mikko Airavaara, Professor, University of Helsinki

Dr. Vassileios Stratoulias from the Brain Repair laboratory comments, “It’s interesting to notice that after a bleeding episode, the brain accommodates lots of waste and debris. Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor encourages immune cells within the brain to devour and take away the waste and debris, which is important for the brain’s recovery!”.

The administration of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor also resulted within the alleviation of cell stress in the world that surrounds the hematoma.

Finally, the researchers demonstrated that systemic administration of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor promotes scavenging by the brain’s immune cells after brain hemorrhage and has beneficial effects in an animal model of brain hemorrhage.

Source:

Journal reference:

Tseng, K.-Y., et al. (2023). Augmenting hematoma-scavenging capability of innate immune cells by CDNF reduces brain injury and promotes functional recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage. Cell Death & Disease. doi.org/10.1038/s41419-022-05520-2