Scientists at research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) of the University of Navarra have discovered that a molecule, MMP-10, is capable of dissolving thrombi caused by stroke. The results of this study, carried out at partnership with researchers from the Neurosciences Unit of Caen (France) and the University of Washington (USA), have been published in the latest issue of Circulation, the most important journal in the cardiovascular field.

"Ischemic stroke is a vascular disease caused by the appearance of a clot in a major artery of the brain that impedes blood flow, leading to sudden brain injury. Depending on the area of the brain affected, different symptoms can occur, such as difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, paralysis of a limb and speech or language problems," explains Dr. José Antonio Páramo, director of laboratory of Atherosclerosis and Inflammation of CIMA.

Stroke is a problem with great clinical repercussions as it is an important cause of mortality and morbidity. In Spain, mortality related to this disease is estimated at 27% in men, while in women it reaches 31%. "Beyond the acute clinical problem is the permanent disability, which entails a drastic reduction in quality of life and carries a high social and economic cost. The rate of stroke is expected to increase in the coming years, as a consequence of the aging of the population and the high prevalence of smoking and high blood pressure."

Once acute ischemic stroke has been diagnosed, its treatment consists of early administration (within the first 4 hours after the onset of symptoms) of drugs capable of dissolving the clot, such as t-PA. However, this drug is not Exempt of side effects, such as the risk of cerebral hemorrhage. "In our work, performed in experimental models of ischemic stroke, we have shown that MMP-10 is as effective as conventional treatment in reducing infarct size and, moreover, its risk of bleeding is 30 times lower. These results open up new therapeutic perspectives for stroke patients," explains Dr. Josune Orbe, principal investigator of the study.

Research is now aimed at analyzing whether the combination of MMP-10 with reduced doses of the conventional drug achieves the same effect, but with fewer hemorrhagic complications. Likewise, programs of study preclinical studies will be initiated to determine whether this new molecule can represent an effective therapeutic alternative in stroke patients, to reduce mortality and disability related to this cerebral vascular pathology.

The research was funded by the Foundation for Applied Medical research , the Ministries of Health and Science and Innovation, and the network Temática de research Cooperativa en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (RECAVA).