Neural xenografts contribute to long-term recovery in stroke via molecular graft-host crosstalk.

ABSTRACT: Stroke remains a leading cause of disability due to the brain's limited ability to regenerate damaged neural circuits. Here, we show that local transplantation of iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) improves brain repair and long-term functional recovery in stroke-injured mice. NPCs survive for over five weeks, differentiate primarily into mature neurons, and contribute to regeneration-associated tissue responses including angiogenesis, blood-brain barrier repair, reduced inflammation, and neurogenesis. NPC-treated mice show improved gait and fine-motor recovery, as quantified by deep learning-based analysis. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing reveals that grafts predominantly adopt GABAergic and glutamatergic phenotypes, with GABAergic cells engaging in graft-host crosstalk via neurexi

SUBMITTER: Weber RZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12441158 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature