# Modulating Post-Stroke Inflammation with FDA-Approved Immunotherapies: A Literature Review

**Authors:** Eduardo Álvarez-Rivera, Pamela Rodríguez-Vega, Fabiola Colón-Santiago, Armeliz Romero-Ponce, Fabiola Umpierre-Lebrón, Paola Roig-Opio, Aitor González-Fernández, Tiffany Rosa-Arocho, Laura Santiago-Rodríguez, Ana Martínez-Torres, Gerson G. Santiago-González, James Llorens-Mercado, Jordan Acevedo-Rico, Victoria Bermúdez-Fosse, Naiara Hernández-Santisteban, Claudia Rodríguez-Castellanos, Carola García-Calderín, Fabyana Gómez-Irrizary, Solianne Martínez-Jiménez

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/ijms27041700 · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2026-02-10

## TL;DR

This paper reviews FDA-approved immunotherapies that could help reduce harmful inflammation after stroke and improve recovery.

## Contribution

The paper systematically reviews FDA-approved immunotherapies for modulating post-stroke inflammation, highlighting their potential and future research directions.

## Key findings

- FDA-approved immunotherapies can target key inflammatory pathways after stroke.
- Microglia and cytokines play critical roles in post-stroke inflammation.
- Future research should focus on optimizing therapy timing and patient selection.

## Abstract

Stroke has been a topic of extensive research due to its debilitating consequences and high mortality. New findings offer a deeper understanding of specific factors that affect post-stroke recovery and identify therapies that may facilitate this process. One such factor is post-stroke neuroinflammation, a complex and time-dependent process in which acute immune responses can cause significant secondary inflammatory damage if the process is prolonged. Microglia are neuronal immune cells that are highly reactive to cytokines in the neuroenvironment and can, in turn, affect the inflammatory cascades that originate after stroke, making them ideal candidates for immunomodulation in the brain. Many FDA-approved immunotherapies have been found to target distinct inflammatory signaling molecules and responders, including IL-6 inhibitors, IL-13 inhibitors, IL-12/IL-23 inhibitors, B-cell modulators, type I interferon inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, calcineurin inhibitors, complement inhibitors, and JAK-STAT pathway inhibitors. The FDA-approved immunotherapies discussed in this review demonstrate potential in modulating the immune response after stroke by targeting key inflammatory pathways involved in secondary brain injury. Future research should focus on defining optimal therapeutic windows, identifying suitable patient populations, determining the most appropriate timing of therapy, and targeting specific immune mechanisms to balance the attenuation of harmful inflammation with the preservation of reparative processes.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** stroke (MONDO:0005098)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** C5AR1 (complement C5a receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 728] {aka C5A, C5AR, C5R1, CD88}, IL23A (interleukin 23 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 51561] {aka IL-23, IL-23A, IL23P19, P19, SGRF}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, MMP9 (matrix metallopeptidase 9) [NCBI Gene 4318] {aka CLG4B, GELB, MANDP2, MMP-9}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, JAK1 (Janus kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 3716] {aka AIIDE, JAK1A, JAK1B, JTK3}, VCAM1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 7412] {aka CD106, INCAM-100}, CX3CL1 (C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1) [NCBI Gene 6376] {aka ABCD-3, C3Xkine, CXC3, CXC3C, NTN, NTT}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 3717] {aka JTK10}, CD4 (CD4 molecule) [NCBI Gene 920] {aka CD4mut, IMD79, Leu-3, OKT4D, T4}, IL13 (interleukin 13) [NCBI Gene 3596] {aka IL-13, P600}, CD19 (CD19 molecule) [NCBI Gene 930] {aka B4, CVID3}, SELE (selectin E) [NCBI Gene 6401] {aka CD62E, ELAM, ELAM1, ESEL, LECAM2, selectin-e}, CX3CR1 (C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 1524] {aka CCRL1, CMKBRL1, CMKDR1, GPR13, GPRV28, V28}, TNFSF13B (TNF superfamily member 13b) [NCBI Gene 10673] {aka BAFF, BLYS, CD257, TALL-1, TALL1, THANK}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, KRT20 (keratin 20) [NCBI Gene 54474] {aka CD20, CK-20, CK20, K20, KRT21}, IL10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 3586] {aka CSIF, GVHDS, IL-10, IL10A, TGIF}, TNFRSF17 (TNF receptor superfamily member 17) [NCBI Gene 608] {aka BCM, BCMA, CD269, TNFRSF13A}, IGF1 (insulin like growth factor 1) [NCBI Gene 3479] {aka IGF, IGF-I, IGFI, MGF}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, CD38 (CD38 molecule) [NCBI Gene 952] {aka ADPRC 1, ADPRC1, cADPR1}, BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) [NCBI Gene 627] {aka ANON2, BULN2}, IL15 (interleukin 15) [NCBI Gene 3600] {aka IL-15}, ICAM1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 3383] {aka BB2, CD54, P3.58}, IL12B (interleukin 12B) [NCBI Gene 3593] {aka CLMF, CLMF2, IL-12B, IMD28, IMD29, NKSF}, IL6R (interleukin 6 receptor) [NCBI Gene 3570] {aka CD126, HIES5, IL-1Ra, IL-6R, IL-6R-1, IL-6RA}, NOS2 (nitric oxide synthase 2) [NCBI Gene 4843] {aka HEP-NOS, INOS, NOS, NOS2A}, GDNF (glial cell derived neurotrophic factor) [NCBI Gene 2668] {aka ATF, ATF1, ATF2, HFB1-GDNF, HSCR3}
- **Diseases:** death (MESH:D003643), immunodeficiencies (MESH:D007153), brain injury (MESH:D001930), hypertension (MESH:D006973), occlusion (MESH:D001157), damage to the nervous system (MESH:D020196), damage to the brain (MESH:D001925), term (MESH:D000088562), type 2 inflammatory diseases (MESH:C563310), microvascular obstruction (MESH:D017566), rheumatoid arthritis (MESH:D001172), cytotoxic (MESH:D064420), cerebrovascular disease (MESH:D002561), infection (MESH:D007239), Crohn's disease (MESH:D003424), axial spondyloarthritis (MESH:D000089183), Ischemic stroke (MESH:D002544), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (MESH:D054198), post (MESH:D000094025), ischemic injury (MESH:D017202), COVID-19 (MESH:D000086382), systemic (MESH:D015619), excitotoxic neuronal injury (MESH:D009410), kidney damage (MESH:D007674), infarct (MESH:D007238), B-cell malignancies (MESH:D016393), ulcerative colitis (MESH:D003093), tissue damage (MESH:D017695), bladder cancer (MESH:D001749), alopecia areata (MESH:D000506), long (MESH:D000094024), MS (MESH:D009103), mantle cell lymphoma (MESH:D020522), NMOSD (MESH:D009471), atopic dermatitis (MESH:D003876), oncologic (MESH:D000072716), inflammation (MESH:D007249), injury (MESH:D014947), vasculitis (MESH:D014657), cerebral arteries (MESH:D002539), Neuroinflammation (MESH:D000090862), hemorrhagic strokes (MESH:D000083302), inflammatory damage (MESH:D018746), multiple myeloma (MESH:D009101), neurologic toxicities (MESH:D020258), ischemic brain (MESH:D020520), LN (MESH:D008181), diabetes (MESH:D003920), cerebral ischemia (MESH:D002545), ANCA-associated vasculitis (MESH:D056648), immune-mediated diseases (MESH:C567355), confusion (MESH:D003221), Post-Stroke (MESH:D020521), ankylosing spondylitis (MESH:D013167), oligodendrocyte damage (MESH:D056784), cerebral edema (MESH:D001929), autoimmune disorders (MESH:D001327), SLE (MESH:D008180), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), psoriatic arthritis (MESH:D015535)
- **Chemicals:** Anktiva (-), Lebrikizumab (MESH:C561806), Ocrelizumab (MESH:C533411), Enspryng (MESH:C000655944), Natalizumab (MESH:D000069442), ATP (MESH:D000255), reactive oxygen species (MESH:D017382), Anifrolumab (MESH:C582345), UTP (MESH:D014544), Baricitinib (MESH:C000596027), Ustekinumab (MESH:D000069549), Rinvoq (MESH:C000613732), oxygen (MESH:D010100), Avacopan (MESH:C000620232), Belimumab (MESH:C511911), Lupkynis (MESH:C484071), Kevzara (MESH:C000592401), glutamate (MESH:D018698)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090]

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## References

43 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941022/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941022