title: CD34/CXCR4 stem cell dynamics in acute stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-hematopoietic stem cells may be a source of paracrine and structural regeneration for brain damaged by acute ischemic stroke. In this study, we investigated correlations of CD34-, CD34/CXCR4-, and CXCR4-positive peripheral blood CD45-negative stem cells with the neurological and functional status of 34 acute stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood was sampled and assessed by flow cytometry on days 1, 2, 4, and 6 after stroke onset. Parallel to blood sampling and after 3 and 6 months, patients were assessed with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, Scandinavian Stroke Scale, and modified Rankin Scale. Blood was also sampled in 15 control subjects matched for age and sex, without history of previous stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed very low levels of the observed stem cells resident in peripheral blood. Higher baseline numbers of all 3 stem cell types correlated with better neurological or functional status on admission. Additionally, higher increases in CD34- and CD34/CXCR4-positive stem cell number and lower increase in CXCR4-positive cells correlated with initially worse neurological status. However, increased CD34- and CD34/CXCR4-positive cell induction in patients correlated with better functional/neurological status after the 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report that the number and dynamic changes in levels of non-hematopoietic CD34-, CD34/CXCR4-, and CXCR4-positive stem cells tend to correlate with acute stroke patients' neurologic and functional status.
authors: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland. annagojska@gumed.edu.pl
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Gójska-Grymajło
authors: Walenty M
authors: WM
authors: Nyka
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Zieliński
authors: Zenon
authors: Z
authors: Jakubowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4