Source: Yale University
Date: January 31, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Yale University and the University of Connecticut have discovered that one of the key genes in human embryonic stem cell development also enhances stem cell growth and survival — a significant finding made possible by funding from the state’s stem cell research program. The Connecticut-based research will be published in the March issue of the journal Stem Cells. The researchers said the finding could lead to new insights into how stem cells regenerate or repair damaged tissue in a host of diseases.
The research team focused on Lin28, one of a handful of key genes that together can make fully mature human cells become stem cells. Using sophisticated gene sequencing technology at the UConn Stem Cell Institute and Translational Genomics Core Facility in Farmington, Conn, the researchers found that Lin28 activates targeted groups of genetic molecules called messenger RNAs within cells in order to create proteins that are crucial in maintaining stem cell function and survival.
Lin28 was previously known for its role in controlling the function of certain microRNAs as part of stem cell development. The Yale and UConn scientists discovered an entirely new function of the Lin28 gene: enhancing the growth and creation of embryonic stem cells. A reviewer of the paper called the data a “treasure trove” of information about the function of Lin28.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Researchers Develop Safer Way to Make Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Source: Johns Hopkins University
Date: January 31, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found a better way to create induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells -- adult cells reprogrammed with the properties of embryonic stem cells -- from a small blood sample. This new method, described last week in Cell Research, avoids creating DNA changes that could lead to tumor formation.
Johns Hopkins researchers created the safer iPS cells by transferring a circular piece of DNA into blood cells from anonymous donors to deliver the needed genetic components. The traditional way is to use viruses to carry DNA into a cell’s genome. Unlike the viral methods, the circular DNA the Hopkins team used is designed to stay separate from the host cell’s genome. After the iPS cells formed, the circular DNA delivered into the blood cells was gradually lost.
Using about a tablespoon of human adult blood or umbilical cord blood, the researchers grew the blood cells in the lab for eight to nine days. The researchers then transferred the circular DNA into the blood cells, where the introduced genes turned on to convert the blood cells to iPS cells within 14 days.
The research group verified conversion from mature blood cells to iPS cells by testing their ability to behave like stem cells and differentiate into other cell types, such as bone, muscle or neural cells. They also looked at the DNA from a dozen iPS cell lines to make sure there were no DNA rearrangements.
Date: January 31, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found a better way to create induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells -- adult cells reprogrammed with the properties of embryonic stem cells -- from a small blood sample. This new method, described last week in Cell Research, avoids creating DNA changes that could lead to tumor formation.
Johns Hopkins researchers created the safer iPS cells by transferring a circular piece of DNA into blood cells from anonymous donors to deliver the needed genetic components. The traditional way is to use viruses to carry DNA into a cell’s genome. Unlike the viral methods, the circular DNA the Hopkins team used is designed to stay separate from the host cell’s genome. After the iPS cells formed, the circular DNA delivered into the blood cells was gradually lost.
Using about a tablespoon of human adult blood or umbilical cord blood, the researchers grew the blood cells in the lab for eight to nine days. The researchers then transferred the circular DNA into the blood cells, where the introduced genes turned on to convert the blood cells to iPS cells within 14 days.
The research group verified conversion from mature blood cells to iPS cells by testing their ability to behave like stem cells and differentiate into other cell types, such as bone, muscle or neural cells. They also looked at the DNA from a dozen iPS cell lines to make sure there were no DNA rearrangements.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Researchers Discover Stem Cell Marker Regulates Synapse Formation
Source: Salk Institute of Biological Studies
Date: January 30, 2011
Summary:
LA JOLLA, CA—Among stem cell biologists there are few better-known proteins than nestin, whose very presence in an immature cell identifies it as a "stem cell," such as a neural stem cell. As helpful as this is to researchers, until now no one knew which purpose nestin serves in a cell. In a study published in the Jan. 30, 2011, advance online edition of Nature Neuroscience, Salk Institute of Biological Studies investigators led by Kuo-Fen Lee, PhD., show that nestin has reason for being in a completely different cell type—muscle tissue. There, it regulates formation of the so-called neuromuscular junction, the contact point between muscle cells and "their" motor neurons. Knowing this not only deepens our understanding of signaling mechanisms connecting brain to muscle, but could aid future attempts to strengthen those connections in cases of neuromuscular disease or spinal cord injury.
Date: January 30, 2011
Summary:
LA JOLLA, CA—Among stem cell biologists there are few better-known proteins than nestin, whose very presence in an immature cell identifies it as a "stem cell," such as a neural stem cell. As helpful as this is to researchers, until now no one knew which purpose nestin serves in a cell. In a study published in the Jan. 30, 2011, advance online edition of Nature Neuroscience, Salk Institute of Biological Studies investigators led by Kuo-Fen Lee, PhD., show that nestin has reason for being in a completely different cell type—muscle tissue. There, it regulates formation of the so-called neuromuscular junction, the contact point between muscle cells and "their" motor neurons. Knowing this not only deepens our understanding of signaling mechanisms connecting brain to muscle, but could aid future attempts to strengthen those connections in cases of neuromuscular disease or spinal cord injury.
Scientists convert skin cells to beating heart cells
Source: The Scripps Research Institute
Date: January 30, 2011
Summary:
Scripps Research Institute scientists have converted adult skin cells directly into beating heart cells efficiently without having to first go through the laborious process of generating embryonic-like stem cells. The powerful general technology platform could lead to new treatments for a range of diseases and injuries involving cell loss or damage, such as heart disease, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. The work was published January 30, 2011, in an advance, online issue of Nature Cell Biology..
The scientists decided to try to tweak the process by completely bypassing the reprogramming stage and going directly from one type of mature cell (a skin cell) to another (a heart cell). The team introduced the same four genes initially used to make iPS cells into adult skin fibroblast cells, but instead of letting the genes be continuously active in cells for several weeks, they switched off their activities just after a few days, long before the cells had turned into iPS cells. Once the four genes were switched off, the scientists gave a signal to the cells to make them turn into heart cells.
Date: January 30, 2011
Summary:
Scripps Research Institute scientists have converted adult skin cells directly into beating heart cells efficiently without having to first go through the laborious process of generating embryonic-like stem cells. The powerful general technology platform could lead to new treatments for a range of diseases and injuries involving cell loss or damage, such as heart disease, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. The work was published January 30, 2011, in an advance, online issue of Nature Cell Biology..
The scientists decided to try to tweak the process by completely bypassing the reprogramming stage and going directly from one type of mature cell (a skin cell) to another (a heart cell). The team introduced the same four genes initially used to make iPS cells into adult skin fibroblast cells, but instead of letting the genes be continuously active in cells for several weeks, they switched off their activities just after a few days, long before the cells had turned into iPS cells. Once the four genes were switched off, the scientists gave a signal to the cells to make them turn into heart cells.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Researchers eliminate major roadblock in regenerative medicine
Source: University of California - Los Angeles
Date: January 25, 2011
Summary:
In regenerative medicine, large supplies of safe and reliable human embryonic stem (hES) cells are needed for implantation into patients, but the field has faced challenges in developing cultures that can consistently grow and maintain clinical-grade stem cells.
Standard culture systems use mouse "feeder" cells and media containing bovine sera to cultivate and maintain hES cells, but such animal product–based media can contaminate the cells. And because of difficulties in precise quality control, each batch of the medium can introduce new and unwanted variations.
Now, a team of stem cell biologists and engineers from UCLA has identified an optimal combination and concentration of small-molecule inhibitors to support the long-term quality and maintenance of hES cells in feeder-free and serum-free conditions. The researchers used a feedback system control (FSC) scheme to innovatively and efficiently select the small-molecule inhibitors from a very large pool of possibilities.
The research findings, published today in the journal Nature Communications, represent a major advance in the quest to broadly transition regenerative medicine from the benchtop to the clinic.
Date: January 25, 2011
Summary:
In regenerative medicine, large supplies of safe and reliable human embryonic stem (hES) cells are needed for implantation into patients, but the field has faced challenges in developing cultures that can consistently grow and maintain clinical-grade stem cells.
Standard culture systems use mouse "feeder" cells and media containing bovine sera to cultivate and maintain hES cells, but such animal product–based media can contaminate the cells. And because of difficulties in precise quality control, each batch of the medium can introduce new and unwanted variations.
Now, a team of stem cell biologists and engineers from UCLA has identified an optimal combination and concentration of small-molecule inhibitors to support the long-term quality and maintenance of hES cells in feeder-free and serum-free conditions. The researchers used a feedback system control (FSC) scheme to innovatively and efficiently select the small-molecule inhibitors from a very large pool of possibilities.
The research findings, published today in the journal Nature Communications, represent a major advance in the quest to broadly transition regenerative medicine from the benchtop to the clinic.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Stanford joins first embryonic-stem-cell therapy clinical trial
Source: Stanford University Medical Center
Date: January 24, 2011
Summary:
The first clinical trial of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells began in October 2010 in a paralyzed patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Today, Stanford University School of Medicine and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center became the third site to participate in the trial, which will enroll up to 10 patients with spinal cord injuries at up to seven institutions nationwide.
The FDA-approved, phase-1 trial is meant to test only the safety of the cells, which can develop into neural support cells called oligodendrocytes found in the brain and central nervous system. If the investigational treatment is shown to be safe for use in humans, larger clinical trials will be designed to test whether the cells are better able than conventional treatments to improve a patient’s condition. Because the cells must be administered within two weeks of the initial spinal cord injury, the trial is open only to those with very recent trauma and only upon physician referral.
The oligodendrocyte precursors (GRNOPC1) are produced from stem cells that were originally derived from a single embryo created through in vitro fertilization. Such excess embryos are usually discarded when no longer needed, but can be donated for research by the parents under informed consent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the human clinical trial in 2009 after extensive tests in laboratory animals. The first patient was treated in October at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta; Northwestern University in Chicago is also open for patient enrollment. Other participating sites have not yet been identified. For more information about the study, including the major eligibility criteria, please refer to this ClinicalTrials.gov link.
Date: January 24, 2011
Summary:
The first clinical trial of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells began in October 2010 in a paralyzed patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Today, Stanford University School of Medicine and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center became the third site to participate in the trial, which will enroll up to 10 patients with spinal cord injuries at up to seven institutions nationwide.
The FDA-approved, phase-1 trial is meant to test only the safety of the cells, which can develop into neural support cells called oligodendrocytes found in the brain and central nervous system. If the investigational treatment is shown to be safe for use in humans, larger clinical trials will be designed to test whether the cells are better able than conventional treatments to improve a patient’s condition. Because the cells must be administered within two weeks of the initial spinal cord injury, the trial is open only to those with very recent trauma and only upon physician referral.
The oligodendrocyte precursors (GRNOPC1) are produced from stem cells that were originally derived from a single embryo created through in vitro fertilization. Such excess embryos are usually discarded when no longer needed, but can be donated for research by the parents under informed consent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the human clinical trial in 2009 after extensive tests in laboratory animals. The first patient was treated in October at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta; Northwestern University in Chicago is also open for patient enrollment. Other participating sites have not yet been identified. For more information about the study, including the major eligibility criteria, please refer to this ClinicalTrials.gov link.
Uncovering the trail behind growing too old, too soon. Human model of rare genetic disease reveals new clues to ageing process
Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Date: January 24, 2011
Summary:
Scientists from A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) in Singapore and the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Medicine have produced the world's first human cell model of progeria, a disease resulting in severe premature ageing in one in four to eight million children worldwide. This model has allowed them to make new discoveries concerning the mechanism by which progeria works. Their findings were published this month in the prestigious scientific journal, Cell Stem Cell [1].
Led by IMB’s Profs Alan Colman and Colin Stewart, the team used a novel technique of deriving induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from cells of human progeria patients[2]. This human progeria model allows the group to trace and analyse the distinctive characteristics of progeria as it progresses in human cells. Previously, only mouse models of the disease were available.
The researchers used their iPS cells to identify two types of cells - mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) – that were particularly adversely affected by progeria. This means that a young patient with progeria would typically have fewer MSCs and VSMCs than other children. MSCs were found to be very sensitive to a low oxygen environment and their losses could delay renewal of the various tissues they gave rise to, thus exacerbating the patient’s symptoms of ageing. The same effect on VSMCs could explain why their number was reduced in the patient’s heart vessels.
Date: January 24, 2011
Summary:
Scientists from A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) in Singapore and the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Medicine have produced the world's first human cell model of progeria, a disease resulting in severe premature ageing in one in four to eight million children worldwide. This model has allowed them to make new discoveries concerning the mechanism by which progeria works. Their findings were published this month in the prestigious scientific journal, Cell Stem Cell [1].
Led by IMB’s Profs Alan Colman and Colin Stewart, the team used a novel technique of deriving induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from cells of human progeria patients[2]. This human progeria model allows the group to trace and analyse the distinctive characteristics of progeria as it progresses in human cells. Previously, only mouse models of the disease were available.
The researchers used their iPS cells to identify two types of cells - mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) – that were particularly adversely affected by progeria. This means that a young patient with progeria would typically have fewer MSCs and VSMCs than other children. MSCs were found to be very sensitive to a low oxygen environment and their losses could delay renewal of the various tissues they gave rise to, thus exacerbating the patient’s symptoms of ageing. The same effect on VSMCs could explain why their number was reduced in the patient’s heart vessels.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Mother’s stem cells likely key to treating genetic disease before birth
Source: University of California - San Francisco
Date: January 18, 2011
Summary:
University of California, San Francisco researchers have tackled a decade-long scientific conundrum, and their discovery is expected to lead to significant advances in using stem cells to treat genetic diseases before birth. Through a series of mouse model experiments, the research team determined that a mother’s immune response prevents a fetus from accepting transplanted blood stem cells, and yet this response can be overcome simply by transplanting cells harvested from the mother herself. Findings from the study appear online in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Date: January 18, 2011
Summary:
University of California, San Francisco researchers have tackled a decade-long scientific conundrum, and their discovery is expected to lead to significant advances in using stem cells to treat genetic diseases before birth. Through a series of mouse model experiments, the research team determined that a mother’s immune response prevents a fetus from accepting transplanted blood stem cells, and yet this response can be overcome simply by transplanting cells harvested from the mother herself. Findings from the study appear online in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Transforming Skin Cells Into Cartilage
Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation
Date: January 17, 2011
Summary:
In new research, Noriyuki Tsumaki and his team at the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, used fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skin, and expressed proteins used to induce pluripotency along with a factor that promotes a chondrocyte fate. The resulting cells resembled chondrocytes and produced cartilage when injected into mice. This may be an important step toward a therapy that will allow the repair of cartilage injury using a patient's own skin cells.
In the study, researchers used fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skin, and expressed proteins that have previously been used to induce pluripotency along with a factor that promotes a chondrocyte fate. This produced cells with traits that resembled chondrocytes and produced cartilage when injected into mice. The researchers believe this may be an important step toward a therapy that will allow th e repair of cartilage injury using a patient's own skin cells. The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Date: January 17, 2011
Summary:
In new research, Noriyuki Tsumaki and his team at the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, used fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skin, and expressed proteins used to induce pluripotency along with a factor that promotes a chondrocyte fate. The resulting cells resembled chondrocytes and produced cartilage when injected into mice. This may be an important step toward a therapy that will allow the repair of cartilage injury using a patient's own skin cells.
In the study, researchers used fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skin, and expressed proteins that have previously been used to induce pluripotency along with a factor that promotes a chondrocyte fate. This produced cells with traits that resembled chondrocytes and produced cartilage when injected into mice. The researchers believe this may be an important step toward a therapy that will allow th e repair of cartilage injury using a patient's own skin cells. The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Skin provides Australia’s first adult stem cells for rare genetic disease
Source: University of Melbourne
Date: 13 January 2011
Summary:
Scientists have developed Australia’s first adult induced pluripotent stem cell lines using skin biopsies from patients with the rare genetic disease Friedreich Ataxia (FA). The study was conducted by the University of Melbourne and Monash Institute of Medical Research and is published in the current online edition of the international journal Stem Cell Reviews and Reports. It is the first time adult pluripotent stem cells, known as iPS cells have been developed for a specific disease in Australia, allowing for the development of new treatments for FA and related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Date: 13 January 2011
Summary:
Scientists have developed Australia’s first adult induced pluripotent stem cell lines using skin biopsies from patients with the rare genetic disease Friedreich Ataxia (FA). The study was conducted by the University of Melbourne and Monash Institute of Medical Research and is published in the current online edition of the international journal Stem Cell Reviews and Reports. It is the first time adult pluripotent stem cells, known as iPS cells have been developed for a specific disease in Australia, allowing for the development of new treatments for FA and related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Biomedical breakthrough: blood vessels for lab-grown tissues
Source: Rice University
Date: January 12, 2011
Summary:
Researchers from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) have broken one of the major roadblocks on the path to growing transplantable tissue in the lab: They've found a way to grow the blood vessels and capillaries needed to keep tissues alive. The new research is available online and due to appear in the January issue of the journal Acta Biomaterialia. To test these new vascular networks, the team implanted the hydrogels into the corneas of mice, where no natural vasculature exists. After injecting a dye into the mice's bloodstream, the researchers confirmed normal blood flow in the newly grown capillaries.
Date: January 12, 2011
Summary:
Researchers from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) have broken one of the major roadblocks on the path to growing transplantable tissue in the lab: They've found a way to grow the blood vessels and capillaries needed to keep tissues alive. The new research is available online and due to appear in the January issue of the journal Acta Biomaterialia. To test these new vascular networks, the team implanted the hydrogels into the corneas of mice, where no natural vasculature exists. After injecting a dye into the mice's bloodstream, the researchers confirmed normal blood flow in the newly grown capillaries.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Geron Announces Publication Demonstrating Activity of Imetelstat Against Cancer Stem Cells from Pediatric Neural Tumors
Source: Geron Corporation
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
MENLO PARK, Calif., - Geron Corporation today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that the company's telomerase inhibitor drug, imetelstat (GRN163L), currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, selectively targets cancer stem cells in pediatric tumors of neural origin.
Telomerase activity has previously been linked to progression and poor patient survival in childhood cancers of the central and peripheral nervous system, such as gliomas and neuroblastomas. Cancer stem cells are believed to be responsible for the growth, recurrence and metastasis of tumors. Cancer stem cells are rare populations of malignant cells with the capacity for endless self-renewal found in many types of cancer including neural tumors. Their resistance to chemotherapy and conventional anti-cancer agents make them important targets for novel therapies.
The data in the current study showed that telomerase activity was confined to the cancer stem cell population in the pediatric neural tumors studied. Gliomas removed from fourteen patients showed high telomerase activity in the cancer stem cell fraction, but not in the bulk tumor cells. Glioma and neuroblastoma cancer stem cells grown in culture were also found to have high telomerase activity. These cancer stem cells were found to have extremely short telomeres, which along with high telomerase levels, might render them particularly sensitive to telomerase inhibition by imetelstat.
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
MENLO PARK, Calif., - Geron Corporation today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that the company's telomerase inhibitor drug, imetelstat (GRN163L), currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, selectively targets cancer stem cells in pediatric tumors of neural origin.
Telomerase activity has previously been linked to progression and poor patient survival in childhood cancers of the central and peripheral nervous system, such as gliomas and neuroblastomas. Cancer stem cells are believed to be responsible for the growth, recurrence and metastasis of tumors. Cancer stem cells are rare populations of malignant cells with the capacity for endless self-renewal found in many types of cancer including neural tumors. Their resistance to chemotherapy and conventional anti-cancer agents make them important targets for novel therapies.
The data in the current study showed that telomerase activity was confined to the cancer stem cell population in the pediatric neural tumors studied. Gliomas removed from fourteen patients showed high telomerase activity in the cancer stem cell fraction, but not in the bulk tumor cells. Glioma and neuroblastoma cancer stem cells grown in culture were also found to have high telomerase activity. These cancer stem cells were found to have extremely short telomeres, which along with high telomerase levels, might render them particularly sensitive to telomerase inhibition by imetelstat.
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Therapeutic OMP-59R5
Source: OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells, today announced that patient dosing has commenced in a Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-59R5 in patients with advanced solid tumor cancers.
OMP-59R5 is a monoclonal antibody that binds selected Notch receptors and is the first antibody to specifically block these targets to enter human studies. The Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-59R5 is a single-agent study designed to evaluate the safety of escalating doses of OMP-59R5 in patients who have received prior treatment with standard chemotherapeutics. The study will also assess pharmacokinetics, biomarkers and initial indications of efficacy. The Phase 1 trial is being conducted at leading U.S. cancer treatment centers. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that OMP-59R5 decreases the frequency of tumor-initiating cells across a variety of tumor types.
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells, today announced that patient dosing has commenced in a Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-59R5 in patients with advanced solid tumor cancers.
OMP-59R5 is a monoclonal antibody that binds selected Notch receptors and is the first antibody to specifically block these targets to enter human studies. The Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-59R5 is a single-agent study designed to evaluate the safety of escalating doses of OMP-59R5 in patients who have received prior treatment with standard chemotherapeutics. The study will also assess pharmacokinetics, biomarkers and initial indications of efficacy. The Phase 1 trial is being conducted at leading U.S. cancer treatment centers. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that OMP-59R5 decreases the frequency of tumor-initiating cells across a variety of tumor types.
Patient-Derived Embryonic Stem Cells Help Deliver “Good Genes” in a Model of Inherited Blood Disorder
Source: Nationwide Children's Hospital
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital report a gene therapy strategy that improves the condition of a mouse model of an inherited blood disorder, Beta Thalassemia. The gene correction involves using unfertilized eggs from afflicted mice to produce a batch of embryonic stem cell lines. Some of these stem cell lines do not inherit the disease gene and can thus be used for transplantation-based treatments of the same mice. Findings could hold promise for a new treatment strategy for autosomal dominant diseases like certain forms of Beta Thalassemia, tuberous sclerosis or Huntington’s disease.
Date: January 10, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital report a gene therapy strategy that improves the condition of a mouse model of an inherited blood disorder, Beta Thalassemia. The gene correction involves using unfertilized eggs from afflicted mice to produce a batch of embryonic stem cell lines. Some of these stem cell lines do not inherit the disease gene and can thus be used for transplantation-based treatments of the same mice. Findings could hold promise for a new treatment strategy for autosomal dominant diseases like certain forms of Beta Thalassemia, tuberous sclerosis or Huntington’s disease.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Researchers pinpoint origin of deadly brain tumor
Source: University of Rochester Medical Center
Date: January 7, 2011
Summary:
Scientists at University of Rochester Medical Center have identified the type of cell that is at the origin of brain tumors known as oligodendrogliomas, which are a type of glioma – a category that defines the most common type of malignant brain tumor. In a paper published in the December 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, investigators found that the tumor originates in and spreads through cells known as glial progenitor cells – cells that are often referred to as "daughter" cells of stem cells. The work comes at a time when many researchers are actively investigating the role that stem cells which have gone awry play in causing cancer. For scientists trying to create new ways to treat brain tumors, knowing whether stem cells or progenitor cells are part of the process is crucial.
In a paper published in the December 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, investigators found that the tumor originates in and spreads through cells known as glial progenitor cells – cells that are often referred to as "daughter" cells of stem cells. The work comes at a time when many researchers are actively investigating the role that stem cells which have gone awry play in causing cancer. For scientists trying to create new ways to treat brain tumors, knowing whether stem cells or progenitor cells are part of the process is crucial.
Date: January 7, 2011
Summary:
Scientists at University of Rochester Medical Center have identified the type of cell that is at the origin of brain tumors known as oligodendrogliomas, which are a type of glioma – a category that defines the most common type of malignant brain tumor. In a paper published in the December 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, investigators found that the tumor originates in and spreads through cells known as glial progenitor cells – cells that are often referred to as "daughter" cells of stem cells. The work comes at a time when many researchers are actively investigating the role that stem cells which have gone awry play in causing cancer. For scientists trying to create new ways to treat brain tumors, knowing whether stem cells or progenitor cells are part of the process is crucial.
In a paper published in the December 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, investigators found that the tumor originates in and spreads through cells known as glial progenitor cells – cells that are often referred to as "daughter" cells of stem cells. The work comes at a time when many researchers are actively investigating the role that stem cells which have gone awry play in causing cancer. For scientists trying to create new ways to treat brain tumors, knowing whether stem cells or progenitor cells are part of the process is crucial.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Stem cell discovery could lead to improved bone marrow transplants
Source: University of California - Santa Cruz
Date: January 6, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have identified a key molecule for establishing blood stem cells in their niche within the bone marrow. The findings, reported in the January issue of Cell Stem Cell, may lead to improvements in the safety and efficiency of bone marrow transplants.
Bone marrow transplants are a type of stem cell therapy used to treat cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia and other blood-related diseases. In a bone marrow transplant, the "active ingredients" are hematopoietic stem cells, which live in the bone marrow and give rise to all the different kinds of mature blood cells. The new study shows that hematopoietic stem cells use a molecule called Robo4 to anchor themselves in the bone marrow.
The discovery that the cells need Robo4 to stay in the bone marrow has potential therapeutic implications. An increasingly common alternative to traditional bone marrow transplants (which require anesthesia for the bone marrow extraction) involves harvesting hematopoietic stem cells from the blood. Repeated injections of drugs are needed to get the stem cells to leave the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream so that they can be collected with a blood draw. A drug that blocks Robo4 could be a safer and more effective way to do this.
Date: January 6, 2011
Summary:
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have identified a key molecule for establishing blood stem cells in their niche within the bone marrow. The findings, reported in the January issue of Cell Stem Cell, may lead to improvements in the safety and efficiency of bone marrow transplants.
Bone marrow transplants are a type of stem cell therapy used to treat cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia and other blood-related diseases. In a bone marrow transplant, the "active ingredients" are hematopoietic stem cells, which live in the bone marrow and give rise to all the different kinds of mature blood cells. The new study shows that hematopoietic stem cells use a molecule called Robo4 to anchor themselves in the bone marrow.
The discovery that the cells need Robo4 to stay in the bone marrow has potential therapeutic implications. An increasingly common alternative to traditional bone marrow transplants (which require anesthesia for the bone marrow extraction) involves harvesting hematopoietic stem cells from the blood. Repeated injections of drugs are needed to get the stem cells to leave the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream so that they can be collected with a blood draw. A drug that blocks Robo4 could be a safer and more effective way to do this.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
UTHealth studies cord blood stem cells for pediatric traumatic brain injury
Source: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Date: January 5, 2011
Summary:
HOUSTON – The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has begun enrollment for the first Phase I safety study approved by the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the use of a child’s own umbilical cord blood stem cells for traumatic brain injury in children. The study is being performed in conjunction with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, UTHealth’s primary children’s teaching hospital.
The innovative study, which builds on UTHealth’s growing portfolio of research using stem cell-based therapies for neurological damage, is led by principal investigator Charles S. Cox, the Children’s Fund Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, part of UTHealth, and director of the pediatric trauma program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. It will enroll 10 children ages 18 months to 17 years who have umbilical cord blood banked with Cord Blood Registry (CBR) and have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study is not designed for acute care and will only enroll participants within 6-18 months of their injury.
Although the neurologic outcome for nearly all types of brain injury (with the exception of abuse) is better for children than adults, trauma is the leading cause of death in children, and the majority of the deaths are attributed to head injury.
Date: January 5, 2011
Summary:
HOUSTON – The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has begun enrollment for the first Phase I safety study approved by the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the use of a child’s own umbilical cord blood stem cells for traumatic brain injury in children. The study is being performed in conjunction with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, UTHealth’s primary children’s teaching hospital.
The innovative study, which builds on UTHealth’s growing portfolio of research using stem cell-based therapies for neurological damage, is led by principal investigator Charles S. Cox, the Children’s Fund Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, part of UTHealth, and director of the pediatric trauma program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. It will enroll 10 children ages 18 months to 17 years who have umbilical cord blood banked with Cord Blood Registry (CBR) and have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study is not designed for acute care and will only enroll participants within 6-18 months of their injury.
Although the neurologic outcome for nearly all types of brain injury (with the exception of abuse) is better for children than adults, trauma is the leading cause of death in children, and the majority of the deaths are attributed to head injury.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice
Source: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Date: January 4, 2011
Summary:
Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are characterized by protein clumps in brain and spinal-cord cells that include an RNA-binding protein called TDP-43. This protein is the major building block of the lesions formed by these clumps.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team led by Virginia M.-Y. Lee, PhD, director of Penn's Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, describes the first direct evidence of how mutated TDP-43 can cause neurons to die. Although normally found in the nucleus where it regulates gene expression, TDP-43 was first discovered in 2006 to be the major disease protein in ALS and FTLD by the Penn team led by Lee and John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD, director of the Institute on Aging at Penn. This discovery has transformed research on ALS and FTLD by linking them to the same disease protein.
Date: January 4, 2011
Summary:
Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are characterized by protein clumps in brain and spinal-cord cells that include an RNA-binding protein called TDP-43. This protein is the major building block of the lesions formed by these clumps.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team led by Virginia M.-Y. Lee, PhD, director of Penn's Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, describes the first direct evidence of how mutated TDP-43 can cause neurons to die. Although normally found in the nucleus where it regulates gene expression, TDP-43 was first discovered in 2006 to be the major disease protein in ALS and FTLD by the Penn team led by Lee and John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD, director of the Institute on Aging at Penn. This discovery has transformed research on ALS and FTLD by linking them to the same disease protein.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Advanced Cell Technology Receives FDA Clearance For Clinical Trials Using Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Source: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
Date: January 3, 2011
Summary:
MARLBOROUGH, MA – Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to treat Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). ACT is now permitted to initiate a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial to treat patients with Dry AMD, the most common form of macular degeneration in the world. There are currently no treatments available for this prevalent disease of an aging global population. Dry AMD, representing a substantial global market opportunity and afflicts between 10-15 million Americans.
Medical News Today, The Los Angeles Times, Agence France Presse (AFP) and Bloomberg News carried news stories about the trial today.
Date: January 3, 2011
Summary:
MARLBOROUGH, MA – Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to treat Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). ACT is now permitted to initiate a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial to treat patients with Dry AMD, the most common form of macular degeneration in the world. There are currently no treatments available for this prevalent disease of an aging global population. Dry AMD, representing a substantial global market opportunity and afflicts between 10-15 million Americans.
Medical News Today, The Los Angeles Times, Agence France Presse (AFP) and Bloomberg News carried news stories about the trial today.
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