Marcela Pekna
Development of a new stroke treatment
Despite care in stroke units and subsequent rehabilitation, about one in two stroke survivors suffer from long-term or permanent disabilities. We have developed an experimental treatment that provides faster, better and lasting recovery after stroke in mice, especially in terms of motor function. The treatment was initiated only seven days after the onset of the stroke and we have identified the mechanisms underlying the positive effects of the treatment. In a hypothetical future, most stroke patients could thus be treated. Our goal now is to translate this promising new treatment strategy into clinical practice.
Selected publications
Stokowska, A., Aswendt, M., Žucha, D., Lohmann, S., Wieters, F., Moran Suarez, J., Atkins, A.L., Li, Y., Miteva, M., Lewin, J., Wiedermann, D., Michael Diedenhofen, M., Torinsson Naluai, Å., Abaffy, P., Valihrach, L., Kubista, M., Hoehn, M., Pekny, M., Pekna, M. (2023): Complement C3a treatment accelerates recovery after stroke via modulation of astrocyte reactivity and cortical connectivity. J. Clin. Invest. 133:e162253.
Stokowska, A., Atkins, A.L., Moran, J., Pekny, T., Bulmer, L., Pascoe, M., Barnum, S.R., Wetsel R.A., Nilsson, J., Dragunow, M., M., Pekna, M. (2017): Complement peptide C3a stimulates neural plasticity after experimental ischemic brain injury. Brain, 140: 353-369.
Moran, J., Stokowska, A., Walker, F.R., Mallard, C., Hagberg, H., Pekna, M. (2017): Intranasal C3a treatment ameliorates cognitive impairment in a mouse model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Exp. Neurol, 290:74-84.
Järlestedt, K., Rousset, C.I., Ståhlberg, A., Sourkova, H., Atkins, A.L., Thornton, C., Barnum, S.R., Wetsel, R.A., Dragunow, M., Pekny, M., Mallard, C., Hagberg, H., Pekna, M. (2013): Receptor for complement peptide C3a: a therapeutic target for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. FASEB J., 27:3797-3804.
Shinjyo, N., Ståhlberg, A., Dragunow, M., Pekny, M., Pekna, M. (2009): Complement-derived anaphylatoxin C3a regulates in vitro differentiation and migration of neural progenitor cells. Stem Cells, 27:2824-2832.