(ii) Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and AKT-modified umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UMSC-PD-L1-AKT), injected into a murine stroke model to overcome the hypoxic environment of the ischemic brain through intravenous and intracarotid routes, exhibited enhanced protection of neuroglial cells from ischemic injury based on the attenuation of systemic inflammation, compared to unmodified UMSCs. The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is Stroke.