Immunological And Genetic Aspects Of Cerebrovascular Stroke

Abstract

The genetic and immune system do play significant role in different aspects of cerebrovascular stroke. Stroke being a polygenic complex disorder where genetic susceptibility and environmental factors act hand in hand or part of a syndrome in single gene disorder disease presented by stroke, is evident to be under strong genetic control.Yet no definite stroke _gene can be demarcated in all stroke patients. But promising steps toward its isolation and cloning is now on the way. With better understanding to the genetic load in the occurance of stroke, gene therapy is now an important method of treatment of stroke. Although most of its trials were on animal models yet promising results were obtained. Our immune system respond to acute stresses (ie. ischemia affecting our brain by initiation of immune reaction, starting by different inflammatory mediators release and leukocytic plugging, adherence and infiltration, ending by more damageable effect on ischemic area due to the decrease in vessels luman as well as neurotoxic effect from leukocytic lysosomal degradation, nitric oxide release and respiratory burst with free radical release. However some authors view the damageable effect of inflammatory reactions in stroke in an opposite way. Suggesting a probable beneficial role of this reactions as proved by several trials on animal models and less extend on human models. Promising but doutable results were shown on using antileukocytic drugs, antiadhesion molecules, anti INF-a anti­ IL-l and IL-6 in animal models. With nearly opposite results on clinical trials on human being for unknown reasons till now. All this open the door infront of researchers to more and more studies on genetic and immunological aspects of stroke hoping to reach curative treatment for cerebrovascular stroke.