Utilizing Sertoli Cell Transplantation as a Therapeutic Technique for the Management of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease (HD), are defined by aberrant protein accumulation, brain atrophy, and gradual decline of neuronal function. Despite the considerable endeavors devoted to discovering treatments for NDs in recent decades, the demand for efficient therapeutic agents persists. Sertoli cells (SCs) play a crucial role in providing a supportive structure and environment for the development of germ cells. SCs, whether transplanted as xenogeneic or allogeneic cells, present a viable choice for enhancing graft persistence via the release of immunomodulatory and trophic factors, including neurturin (NTN), platelet-derived growth factor, Fas (CD95) ligand (FasL), glial-derived neurotrophic factor, interleukin 1 (IL1), brain-derived neurotrophic factor, interleukin 6 (IL6), transforming growth factors, and vascular growth factor, that protect replaced cells and tissues from the immune system. However, there is currently no cohesive evidence regarding the neuroprotective influence of SCs transplantation on NDs. Therefore, the focus of this review is to assess the neuroprotective impact of stem cells on neurodegenerative diseases in preclinical settings and present cohesive information. A comprehensive search was conducted between 2000 and 2022 in Medline, Scopus, and the Web of Science. In the identification stage, after a comprehensive search across databases including Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed/Medline, 103 papers were obtained. Our search yielded a total of nine relevant papers on the therapeutic effect of SCs transplantation on NDs. It was found that SCs transplantation exhibits a promising impact on enhancing neurological diseases' symptoms in rats. Our findings highlight the need for multiple standardized preclinical trials to be performed to find reliable information to confirm the utilization of SCs transplantation and the reduction of neurodegenerative disease symptoms.