South Korean team behind promising stroke research, treatment cites Chinese interest

South Korean scientists have identified a potentially promising new pathway for treating ischemic stroke, long considered one of the most difficult challenges in modern medicine. According to the South Korean team, doctors in China are interested in a partnership and learning more about an experimental drug that it has developed to combat the disease. The team’s study, titled “Oxidative stress-induced astrocytic collagen biosynthesis drives glial barrier formation and neuronal death in ischemic stroke”, was published online last week in the journal Cell Metabolism. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot or other blockage obstructs a cerebral blood vessel, cutting off oxygen and nutrients and causing brain cells to die. More than 100,000 patients are diagnosed each year in South Korea, which has a population of about 52 million. Survivors often suffer severe aftereffects, including motor disabilities and cognitive decline. Treatment is further complicated by a narrow three-hour “golden time” window after symptom onset, during which patients must receive emergency care. The joint research team, led by C. Justin Lee, director of the Centre for Memory and Glioscience at the Institute for Basic Science, in collaboration with researchers from Eulji University, said they had identified a key mechanism behind neuronal death following ischemic stroke. When a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked, excessive amounts of hydrogen peroxide are produced. This triggers astrocytes – star-shaped support cells in the brain – to produce collagen and form glial barriers, which ultimately contribute to neuronal death. The findings suggest that suppressing hydrogen peroxide and collagen production could help prevent brain damage caused by stroke. Based on this mechanism, the team developed a candidate drug, KDS12025, and tested it in animal models, including primates. The drug reduced neural damage and helped restore motor function, pointing to a potentially groundbreaking treatment for cerebrovascular diseases. “Medical personnel in China, where 2.5 million people are diagnosed with stroke annually, are keenly interested in this drug, offering joint experiments not only on primates but human patients as well,” C. Justin Lee said. “As we have identified mechanisms related to the formation of glial barriers, we hope we can develop drugs for stroke patients soon,” he said, adding that the team had agreed to transfer the technology to a Korean pharmaceutical company. Co-author Lee Bo-young said the team identified, at both molecular and cellular levels, how reactive oxygen species triggered collagen synthesis in astrocytes. “This provides an important clue for understanding various causes of neuronal death and could serve as a foundation for treating not only stroke but also neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease,” she said. Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the brain and typically help protect neural tissue. After a stroke, they form glial barriers around damaged areas to prevent further injury. However, recent studies suggest that these barriers can also contribute to neuronal death. Hydrogen peroxide levels rose rapidly after a stroke, stimulating astrocytes to produce Type I collagen, according to the new findings. When KDS12025 – which both suppresses collagen production and removes hydrogen peroxide – was administered to mice with stroke, glial barrier formation and neuronal death were almost eliminated. Within a week, motor function returned to near-normal levels. Even when the drug was administered two days after stroke onset, neural recovery was still observed. This suggests a significant extension of the “golden time” for stroke treatment. In tests carried out on primates, lesion size was markedly reduced within three days of treatment. Their previously paralysed hands recovered enough function within a week for them to grasp food. Co-author Yoo Seung-joon of Eulji University said the study identified hydrogen peroxide and collagen as key therapeutic targets. “Since we showed therapeutic effects not only in cells and small animals but also in primate models, we expect the clinical development period to be significantly shortened and to offer new hope for patients,” he said. C. Justin Lee added that the team’s integrated approach, combining basic science, drug development, and preclinical testing, enabled them to identify a cause of stroke and propose a potential treatment. “We’re now working on a new project to identify related mechanisms and develop a strategy to treat stroke patients who missed the therapeutic window,” he said. Many drugs that perform well in animal studies fail in human trials Yoon Byung-woo, Seoul National University “Separately, we are also working on a thesis identifying what kind of fruits and herbs we should consume to help prevent ischemic stroke.” Despite the promising results, medical experts caution that significant challenges remain before the treatment can be applied to humans. “The study presents a potential pathway towards a new treatment for ischemic stroke, but there is still a long way to go,” said Yoon Byung-woo, emeritus professor of neurology at Seoul National University. “But we should not jump to conclusions. Many drugs that perform well in animal studies fail in human trials. It may take years to fully verify the drug’s effectiveness in humans.”

South Korean team behind promising stroke research, treatment cites Chinese interest

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Animals given an experimental drug have shown significant improvement in motor function, with their brain damage reduced

Animals given an experimental drug have shown significant improvement in motor function, with their brain damage reduced