title: Stem cells therapy for ALS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite knowledge on the molecular basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) having quickly progressed over the last few years, such discoveries have not yet translated into new therapeutics. With the advancement of stem cell technologies there is hope for stem cell therapeutics as novel treatments for ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We discuss in detail the therapeutic potential of different types of stem cells in preclinical and clinical works. Moreover, we address many open questions in clinical translation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SC therapy is a potentially promising new treatment for ALS and the need to better understand how to develop cell-based experimental treatments, and how to implement them in clinical trials, becomes more pressing. Mesenchymal stem cells and neural fetal stem cells have emerged as safe and potentially effective cell types, but there is a need to carry out appropriately designed experimental studies to verify their long-term safety and possibly efficacy. Moreover, the cost-benefit analysis of the results must take into account the quality of life of the patients as a major end point. It is our opinion that a multicenter international clinical program aime d at fine-tuning and coordinating transplantation procedures and protocols is mandatory.
authors.affiliation: a ALS Centre, Department of Neurology , Maggiore della Carità University Hospital , Novara , Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzini
authors.affiliation: b IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza , San Giovanni Rotondo , Italy.|c Laboratorio Cellule Staminali , Cell Factory e Biobanca , Terni , Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vescovi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Neurology , Eastern Piedmont University , Novara , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cantello
authors.affiliation: b IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza , San Giovanni Rotondo , Italy.|c Laboratorio Cellule Staminali , Cell Factory e Biobanca , Terni , Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelati
authors.affiliation: e Department of Neuroscience Torino , Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi , Torino , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vercelli
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D011788:Quality of Life; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; neuroinflammation; neuroprotection; stem cell