Review Article

Could the Gut Microbiota Serve as a Therapeutic Target in Ischemic Stroke?

Table 1

Summary of model studies on gut microbiota in stroke.

ReferenceSpeciesModelsMechanisms

Benakis et al. 2016 [20]MiceTransient focal cerebral ischemiaThe revealing of gut-brain axis and the impact of gut microbiota and meningeal IL-17+γδT cells on ischemic injury
Singh et al. 2016 [32]MicePermanent distal MCAO model and transient fMCAO modelThe gut microbiome was a target of stroke-induced systemic alterations and an effector with substantial impact on stroke outcome
Stanley et al. 2016 [33]MiceIschemic strokeStroke promoted the translocation and dissemination of selective strains of bacteria that originated from the host gut microbiota
Houlden et al. 2016 [34]MiceTransient focal cerebral ischemiaBrain injury effected the gut microbiota, whereas changes in the gut microbiota after brain injury might affect recovery and treatment of patients
Winek et al. 2016 [35]MiceFocal cerebral ischemiaMicrobial colonization or specific microbiota were crucial for stroke outcome
Shichita et al. 2009 [124]MiceFocal brain ischemia modelT lymphocytes could be a therapeutic target for mitigating the inflammatory events that amplified the initial damage in cerebral ischemia
Liesz et al. 2009 [126]MiceIschemia modelTreg cells were major cerebroprotective modulators of postischemic inflammatory brain damage
Li et al. 2013 [127]RodentIschemia modelTreg adoptive therapy was a cell-based therapy targeting poststroke inflammatory dysregulation and neurovascular disruption
Sun et al. 2016 [129]MiceDiabetes and cerebral I/RDisruption of the bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiota and the nervous system might be involved in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic gastrointestinal disease states
Crapser et al. 2016 [132]MiceTransient focal cerebral ischemiaCompared to young mice, aged mice developed a septic response after stroke
Bodhankar et al. 2015 [135]MiceMiddle cerebral artery occlusion modelA major neuroprotective role for IL-10+ B-cells in treating MCAO
Caso et al. 2009 [139]RatsPermanent focal ischemiaUnderstanding the implication of bacterial translocation during stress-induced stroke worsening was of great potential clinical relevance

MCAO: middle cerebral artery occlusion; fMCAO: filament middle cerebral artery occlusion; I/R: ischemia/reperfusion; IL: interleukin; CNS: central nervous system.