title: Drug repurposing for immune modulation in acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: Innate immune cells play a dualistic role in the evolution of ischemic brain damage, with classic phenotypes promoting injury, and alternatively activated M2 microglia/macrophages or N2 neutrophils providing tissue remodelling and repair. Recently, a number of drugs commonly used for other indications (i.e., azithromycin, minocycline, bexarotene, rosiglitazone, metformin) was reported to provide neuroprotection in preclinical stroke models by promoting immune polarization towards non-inflammatory, protective phenotypes. Repurposing drugs with a well-established safety profile should allow a reduction in the risk of clinical trial failure that has dominated the unsuccessful development of neuroprotective drugs in stroke during the last decades. The clinical validation of the proof of concept, followed by the assessment of safety and efficacy of immune-polarizing repurposed drugs will definitively offer new opportunities for the acute treatment of ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, via Savinio, Rende (CS) I-87036, Italy. Electronic address: amantea@unical.it.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amantea
authors.affiliation: Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, via Savinio, Rende (CS) I-87036, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacinto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bagetta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058492:Drug Repositioning; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents