November 1, 2006 by

Adult Stem Cell Research Provides Breakthrough For Lung Diseases

Patients with lung diseases have hope for new treatments in the future due to an advance in adult stem cell research. Embryonic stem cells have once again been trumped by adult stem cells as the advance shows that they continue to be more ethical and effective. Embryonic cells, on the other hand, have not helped any patients and are only obtained by destroying human embryos.

According to a statement released by the University of Minnesota, for the first time, researchers have been able to coax umbilical cord blood stem cells to differentiate into a type of lung cell.

The cord blood cells differentiated into a type of lung cell called type II alveolar cells. The cells allow air sacs in the lungs to remain open (which allows air to move in and out of the sacs) by secreting surfactant.

Helping to repair the airway after injury is another responsibility the cells have.

“In the future, we may be able to examine cord blood from babies who have lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, to do more research to understand how these diseases evolve as well as to develop better medical treatments,” said Dr. David, M.D.

David is the medical director of the Clinical Cell Therapy Lab at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and an assistant professor of lab medicine and pathology.

The discovery is a “step toward developing treatment for various lung diseases” David said.

The journal of Cytotherapy will publish David’s findings in their November 7th, 2006 issue.

Some premature babies are born with underdeveloped lungs and this is because Type II alveolar cells develop late in fetal development. Through a child’s first few years of life, the cells and the air sacs as a whole continue to mature and develop.

The cells could be used as a research aid to enhance our understanding of lung development and disease as the researchers will try to better characterize the cells for the future. Testing for new drugs could also be another potential use for the cells.

David and his team first derived the Multi-Lineage Progenitor Cell from umbilical cord blood during the process of differentiating the lung cells from the cord blood.

This particular stem cell is a precursor cell that can be expanded in culture, then differentiated into different types of tissue representative of all three embryonic lineages, mesoderm, ectoderm, and endoderm.

The MLPC differentiated into the lung cells, an endoderm-type cell, after they were cultured by David and his group in a series of experiments. They were able to find cells that exhibited key markers present in type II alveolar cells by testing them using various methods.

Filed Under: News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With:
October 31, 2006 by

Human Liver Grown From Umbilical Cord Stem Cells

In a breakthrough that will one day supply entire organs for transplants, British scientists have grown the world’s first artificial liver from stem cells.

The technique will be developed to ultimately create a full-size functioning liver. The liver that was grown, dubbed the “mini-liver”, is currently the size of a one pence piece.

The tissue was created from blood taken from babies’ umbilical cords just a few minutes after birth and the Newcastle University researchers called it a “Eureka moment”.

Preventing disasters such as the recent “Elephant Man” drug trial is a possibility since the mini organ can be used to test new drugs. Animal experiments would also be reduced by using the lab-grown liver tissue.

Repairing livers damaged by disease, injury, alcohol abuse, and paracetamol overdose could be possible within the next 5 years.

Entire organ transplants could take place using organs grown in a lab in only 15 years.

Hundreds of Britons are in desperate need of a new liver each year; the breakthrough provides renewed hope for the future.

72 people died waiting for a suitable donor in 2004. And 336 patients are currently waiting for a liver transplant.

The liver tissue is created from stem cells – blank cells capable of developing into different types of tissue – found in blood from the umbilical cord.

The stem cells were successfully separated from the blood removed from the umbilical cord minutes after birth by the Newcastle scientists working in partnership with US experts.

The stem cells were placed inside a piece of electrical equipment developed by NASA to mimic the effects of weightlessness, called a “bioreactor”. The cells multiplied more quickly than usual because they were free from the force of gravity.

The cells were then coaxed into becoming liver tissue using various hormones and chemicals.

So far, tiny pieces of tissue, less than an inch in diameter have been created.

Sections of tissue, large enough for transplant into sick patients will eventually be possible given some time.

The tissue could be used to test new drugs within the next two years say the Newcastle scientists. Prior to animal and human trials, the current method of testing drugs is conducted within a test tube.

However, the testing procedure is not without risk. Six healthy volunteers were left fighting for their lives during Northwick Park drug trials earlier this year.

Before new drugs are given to humans, lab-grown human tissue could be used to determine if there are any flaws in the formula that need to be corrected.

“We take the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood and make small mini-livers,” said Colin, a professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University.

“We then give them to pharmaceutical companies and they can use them to test new drugs on.

“It could prevent the situation that happened earlier this year when those six patients had a massive reaction to the drugs they were testing.”

The number of animal experiments could also be reduced with the use of mini-livers.

The artificial liver could be used to directly benefit people’s health within 5 years.

In much the same way a dialysis machine is used to treat kidney failure, the researchers envision sections of artificial liver being used to keep patients needing liver transplants alive.

The liver’s remarkable ability to quickly regenerate itself would be taken advantage of with this technique.

All of the functions that are usually carried out by a patient’s own liver would be taken over by an artificial liver that the patient would be hooked up to.

The patients own liver would be afforded enough resting time to regenerate and repair any damage while the artificial liver would do the work during several “dialysis” sessions a day over a period of several months.

The search for a suitable donor for transplant could also be extended by prolonging the health of the individual patient.

For those whose livers have been damaged beyond repair, it is hoped that it will be possible to create sections of liver suitable for transplant within the next 15 years.

This procedure would eliminate the need for an entire liver transplant in many cases.

Whole livers created in a lab for transplant use would come several years later.

The Newcastle team is the first to create sizeable sections of tissue from stem cells from the umbilical cord. Other researchers have created liver cells from embryonic stem cells.

However, the latter process leads to the death of the embryo. This makes the Newcastle team’s breakthrough incredibly appealing given that it will be ethically acceptable.

The Newcastle researchers foresee a time when cord blood from millions of babies born each year is banked, creating a worldwide donor register for liver dialysis and transplant.

For patients with liver problems, computerized registries could then match the cord blood with their tissue type or immune system to minimize the risk of rejection.

There are approximately a dozen cord blood banks around the UK and more than 11,000 British parents have so far chosen to preserve their children’s cord blood. It is already used to treat leukemia.

“One hundred million children are born around the world every year – that is 100 million different tissue types,” says Professor McGuckin.

“With that number of children being born every year, we should be able to find a tissue for me and you and every other person who doesn’t have stem cells banked.”

Co-researcher Dr. Nico said that their, “dream is that every metropolitan city would have such a bank.”

“If you could type the blood all, you would have to do is dial it up on your computer and fly it from Bristol to Newcastle or even Newcastle to Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Many liver experts have welcomed the breakthrough.

“The stem cell is going to change the way we deliver treatment,” said Professor Nagy, of London’s Hammersmith Hospital.

Alison, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust said that, “stem cell technology represents a huge leap forward in treating many diseases. With liver disease in particular it has the potential for tremendous advances.”

A spokesman for UK Transplant, which runs the country’s organ donor register, added that, “there is a lot going on in research that may have benefits for transplant patients. But, in the here and now, the obvious way to help these people is by more people adding their names to the organ donor register and to make their wishes known to their family.”

Filed Under: News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With:
October 30, 2006 by

Cord Blood Stem Cells Almost a Cure For Man With MS

Ed feels like a new man. But perhaps a more accurate description would be a cured man. Almost.

After receiving stem cell treatment in Mexico, the effects of his multiple sclerosis are not as pronounced.

After returning from his trip on October 13th, Ed’s renewed vitality has been increasing every single day.

Even the simple act of walking down the stairs was difficult prior to the treatment said Ed. But now he is cranking out repetitions on his personal gym machine in the downstairs basement of his North Boulevard home.

Since such therapies are not available in the United States, like many other Americans, Ed went to Mexico to receive the umbilical cord stem cell treatment.

Relying on a walker to get around his home, Ed was depressed and constantly exhausted. His declining condition had his family and doctors worried.

Ed’s physician, Dr. Thaddeus, was cautious in his endorsement of stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis, despite the fact that it seemed to be that last resort.

Dr. Thaddeus was worried because the science is still so new.

To prevent Ed’s immune system from attacking his nerve cells, he took drugs that were specifically designed for his condition. But such conventional therapies continued to disappoint.

Some scientists say stem cells have the potential to repair damaged cells. But such treatment is not allowed in America due to federal Food and Drug Administration regulations.

As far as endorsement for these new treatments is concerned, medical journals are often conservative and slow to give the thumbs up said Dr. Thaddeus.

At his point, Ed has not visited his regular doctor since his return to the States. His occasional visit to the chiropractor and a masseuse are all the he has needed.

Ed moved easily with a limp while walking around his living room and kitchen during a recent interview. A small black cane which he carried if he needed some extra stability, was barley used.

He rarely needs to use the support railing when he is in the shower since his balance has returned to almost 100 percent.

“I’m getting ready much quicker,” Ed said. “It used to take two to three hours to get ready. Now, it’s only one.”

Ed’s mother has been quite surprised with the progress he has made.

“I came home from work and he said he had done a load of laundry, which floored me,” Joanne said. “He’s just moving better with a better attitude. He takes care of himself and all three dogs during the day.”

Joanne flew with her son to Mexico for the treatment.

“It was pretty good; everybody at the hospital were very professional,” Joanne said. “The people down there were just wonderful.”

They both agreed that compared to American facilities, the hospital was smaller. Instead of using chemotherapy, the facility uses alternative therapies to treat cancer.

“It was very clean; the people were amazing,” Ed said.

An IV of saline started off the procedure for Ed. They holed up the first dose of stem cells as the contents of the saline drained out. The vial was about the size of a triple-A battery said Ed.

Three stem cell injections in the back of the neck complete the procedure. The entire process costs anywhere from $24,000-$28,000, and lasts approximately three hours.

Chris, who is Ed’s 17-year-old son, was excited about his father’s progress. He walked down into the basement just as Ed was finishing up another repetition on his weight training machine.

“He’s getting better slowly but surely,” said Chris. “He’s getting better faster than anyone else. It’s supposed to take two to three months.”

Filed Under: Multiple Sclerosis, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,
October 26, 2006 by

Adult Stem Cell Treatment for Heart to be Routine in 3-5 Years

Routine stem cell therapies for certain types of heart disease will become a reality in 3-5 years according to Dr. Amit of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. All he has to do is succeed in his ongoing clinical trials using cell therapy in congestive heart failure.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made Amit the only individual in the entire nation to gain its endorsement to undertake clinical trials for treating heart patients by directly injecting adult stem cells into the heart. Bone marrow is the source of stem cells for the experiment.

The clinical trial for ‘Autologous Bone Marrow Progenitor Cell Treatment for Heart Failure,’ at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is lead by Dr. Amit. He is the director of the Center for Cardiac Cell Therapy at the university.

Amit has taken 5 volunteers who would eventually undergo heart transplantation after a few months and injected adult stem cells into the patients’ hearts. As routine as it is to harvest hearts from animals that are under trial, the same is close to reality for humans as well. Removing and studying the hearts that have been injected with adult stem cells a few months prior to transplantation is a possibility.

“This will give an opportunity to evaluate the mechanism of the cells delivered into the human heart,” he noted. “This is the primary endpoint of the study.”

In an earlier study he had shown that “Autologous stem cell transplantation led to significant improvement in cardiac function in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for ischemic cardiomyopathy.”

Hearts that were removed 3-6 months after the stem cells were injected showed, “significant angiogenesis,” said Dr. Amit. Four hearts have been removed and examined since the trial started. “We are seeing growth of new blood vessels — angiogenesis,” he said.

So far all FDA approval has been for using adult stem cells for treating heart patients due to the ethical dilemmas surrounding embryonic stem cell research.

Filed Under: Heart Failure, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
October 25, 2006 by

From Flab to Fab, Fat to Become a Lifesaver

Millions of individuals exercise to get rid of unwanted body fat every single day. But that same fat that so many try to burn off, may one day save their lives.

The very fat that many try to rid themselves of contains baby fat cells. Those stem cells can be isolated form the tissue, cultivated in a laboratory dish and molded into the type of cells you want to grow. Singapore doctors are planning on doing just that. Clinical trials will soon be in progress to develop techniques that will take a patient’s fat tissue and create new cartilage, bone, and fat stem cells.

Promising results from animal experimentation has pushed ahead human clinical trials which should begin in 18 months.

The research team knows that the potential for new treatments is limitless, despite the dream still being quite young. The fat stem cells could help diabetics produce their own insulin, or help in breast reconstruction for cancer patients.

Renowned surgeon Dr. Susan is closely involved with this particular project, and for the past three years has been deeply involved with stem cell research at the National University of Singapore.

In 1990, the first successful liver transplant in South-East Asia was performed by Dr. Susan, and she says that stem cell research could revolutionize even that particular field in the future.

Whole organs like the pancreas or the liver were initially used during a transplant procedure. But as Dr. Susan explained, new procedures were put in place to split an organ and share it around instead due to short supply.

Islet cells to treat diabetes and liver cells to address liver failure will be the ultimate solution.

Cell rejection was once a possibly hurdle, but a person’s own stem cells can be used to treat him with adult stem cell research she said.

“This does not even pose any ethical questions, unlike the use of stem cells from embryos,” said Dr. Susan. “It is a very exciting and promising field.”

Multiple varieties of cells can be formed from stem cells. And since fat is something that most would be glad to part with, there is good reason for Dr. Susan to target fat tissue in her research.

“If someone says that he needs to take your liver cells for example, most patients will be hesitant,” she said. “So you must look for something that the patient is ready to part with. And everyone’s ready to part with fat.”

Dr. Susan’s team just has to build on the recipe for fat, cartilage, and bone cells, since there has already been a great deal of global research on how stem cells can be cultivated.

“The aim is to produce lots and lots of these particular cell types to treat the specific disease and in the end to transplant these cells back to the person,” said Susan.

She says that the current cost of whole organ transplantation is more than what the stem cell procedures will cost.

Even more ambitious plans that exceed breast reconstruction for cancer patients are being tested for future application. Stem cells could be used by diabetic patients to generate islets so they can produce their own insulin. Generating heart muscle cells are also on tap for the future.

“We are greatly inspired to continue this work as there are many patients to-date with spinal cord injuries and other degenerative nerve injuries who desperately need new treatment options,” she said.

All that is needed is for individuals to be willing to part with those parts of the body that may be a little to curvaceous for their own taste.

Filed Under: Heart Failure, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
October 24, 2006 by

Stem Cells Have Dramatic Effect on Parkinson’s Disease, American Gets Her Life Back

An American citizen inflicted with debilitating Parkinson’s disease became one of the first in the world to be treated successfully with stem cell therapy at Tiantan Puhua Neurosurgical Hospital in Beijing. 52 year old Penny of Hawaii has seen remarkable improvement in her condition is being treated with the unique procedure specifically designed for Parkinson’s patients. The announcement comes after hospital staff monitored Penny’s progress to ensure the procedure was a success after the initial stages of treatment were completed.

“I was on the verge of dying” says Penny. “Now, I feel that I have my life back after this new stem cell treatment. My body has calmed down, I can walk fluidly, I can hold a knife and a fork and cut my food by myself, I can get out of bed on my own, brush my hair, and even do Yoga. I feel like a kid again,” she said.

The ground breaking treatment causes patients to naturally produce Dopamine by introducing ‘Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial cells’ (hRPE) to their bodies. This enhances Dopamine levels in the brain. Patients do not need to take supplementary drugs during the treatment because the use of hRPE cells means that patients do not have immunosuppressive reactions. Specifically, hRPE cells are introduced into the region of the brain where the damaged cells reside, and medications that “fertilize” the area are taken which help the cells survive.

“Our medical solution gives a new ray of hope for all patients around the world suffering from formerly untreatable neural diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. We are all very happy for Penny and are excited to see the improvement in her condition,” said Dr. Sherwood, Vice President of Tiantan Puhua Hospital.

When nerve cells in the brain die or become damaged, the brain disorder Parkinson’s disease is the result. Dopamine is an essential chemical which is responsible for smooth and coordinated movement of the body. The normal function of the nerve cells in the brain is due to the production of Dopamine. Damaged nerve cells result in a lack of Dopamine, and ultimately cause the Parkinson’s symptoms of slow movement, freeze ups, balance difficulties, shaking (tremors) and the stiffness of the muscles.

4 years ago Penny was diagnosed with Parkinson’s by doctors in the USA. She has since experienced ever single symptom of the disease. Penny often experienced “freeze ups” while walking whereby she would stop and not be able to continue her motion. She had given up reading and writing and operations most people take for granted, such as holding a telephone, getting dressed, brushing her hair or even turning her neck, she had extreme difficulty performing. She experienced severe difficulty getting out of a bed or chair by herself, she had constant shaking in her hands, and could only eat if her food was prepared for her in a way that allowed her to use a spoon or her fingers. Her muscles were very tense, yet extremely weak.

Penny said she got her life back after two months of stem cell therapy, which included rehabilitation and neurological nutritional balancing. Penny’s shaking was greatly reduced, her strength increased, her freeze ups stopped, her movement became more fluid, and her muscle tension disappeared. She can now get out of bed immediately without any assistance.

To date, over 20 Parkinson’s patients have been treated using the hRPE cells. All cases have exhibited increased dopamine in their metabolism and improved control of movement. Long term follow up information has not yet been released but the outlook of continued progress is most likely. Penny is the only known American citizen treated for Parkinson’s using this type of stem cell treatment.

Filed Under: Cerebral Palsy, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
October 24, 2006 by

Stem Cell Treatment for Heart Reaches Milestone

A preliminary study found that treatment with adult stem cells, which may have the potential to help millions of people who suffer from severe coronary artery disease is “well tolerated” by patients.

Monday, researchers at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference in Washington said that among 18 patients who had bone marrow injected into their hearts to heal tissue, after one year, there were no deaths or heart attacks. Reversing heart attack damage is the goal and researchers are excited to learn if stem cells originating from bone marrow can transform treatment for cardiac patients in this manner. The decision to begin a second trial, this time involving 150 patients, is supported by the primary findings.

“We have reached a milestone in exploring further a much-needed therapy for this patient population,” said the leader of the first study, Douglas, in statement. Douglas is the chief of cardiovascular research at Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston.

15 of the patients said they had less chest pain and more ability to exercise after the injections.

Prior studies involving animals demonstrated that injecting stem cells into the heart could help repair or regenerate damaged tissue in the cardiac muscle.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, coronary artery disease is the primary cause of death in the United States and affects 13 million Americans. The hardening and narrowing of vessels is due to the buildup of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. This process may eventually lead to a heart attack.

Filed Under: Heart Disease, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
October 19, 2006 by

Coming Soon, a Cord Blood Center Near You

Lifesaving umbilical cord transplants may soon be available to more people with $24 million in total funding set aside by the federal government to create the first national cord blood banking system.

Stories of hope and healing fill the hallways at the Duke University Medical Center pediatric bone marrow transplants ward. They treat children who come in suffering from sickle-cell anemia, leukemia, genetic diseases that affect the development of the brain and other body tissues, and cancers that are resistant to standard therapy.

Instead of bone marrow transplants, the healing is often credited to stem cells acquired from a donor’s umbilical cord blood that includes blood from the placenta as well as the cord attached to a newborn baby.

“Cord blood doesn’t have to match as closely as bone marrow, so many people who can never find a perfectly matched bone marrow donor can use cord blood instead,” said Dr. Joanne, director of the pediatric bone marrow and stem cell transplant program at Duke.

In the field of cord blood stem cell transplant, Dr. Joanne is a pioneer. From a network of six hospitals in the state of North Carolina, cord blood is donated to Carolina’s Cord Blood Bank which is run by Duke University. The hospitals include, Western WakeMed in Cary, Rex Healthcare in Raleigh, Greensboro Women’s Hospital, UNC Hospitals, and of course, Duke University Medical Center.

Because banks operate on limited private donations, health experts say that cord blood is in short supply. The process of collecting and cataloging cord blood can also be expensive.

“On average, it costs approximately $1,600 per unit,” Joanne said.

Committed to the creation of a cord blood donations coordinating center, the federal government has committed $10 million. Still awaiting approval is another $14 million that will help current cord blood banks.

“We’re hoping, with increased funding, that we can open other collection sites, and we’ve had many hospitals around the state approach us to participate,” Joanne said.

More patients that need the transplants will get them, since a larger supply of cord blood units will be available said Dr. Joanne.

Research for cell therapy is being conducted with the stem cells found in cord blood as well. Researchers have found that damaged cells in the liver, heart, pancreas, and brain, can possibly be replaced by cord blood stem cells.

Cord blood stem transplants will also benefit more adults said Dr. Joanne.

“In the beginning of the field, people thought it would only be useful in children because no one believed that a few ounces of cord blood would have enough cells to rescue an adult after a transplant, but it turns out that bigger units have enough cells for an adult,” she said.

Minorities will also benefit from the flexibility of cord blood stem cells.

“This does benefit minority patients, particularly African-Americans, because it’s very unlikely that they can find a fully matched bone marrow donor,” Dr. Joanne said. “But because cord blood only needs to match part-way, they can almost always find a cord blood donor.”

Filed Under: Heart Disease, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
October 16, 2006 by

“Aw Rats!” Says Lou, Stem Cells Show Promise

Rats that were bred to duplicate Lou Gehrig’s Disease had the initiation of their nerve damage delayed (typical of the disease), and their lives extended slightly after having their spinal cords injected with human stem cells at John Hopkins. The grafted stem cells do not themselves give way to Lou Gehrig’s, which is also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but actually develop into nerve cells and make extensive connections with existing nerves. This week’s issue of Transplantation has published the study.

“We were extremely surprised to see that the grafted stem cells were not negatively affected by the degenerating cells around them, as many feared introducing healthy cells into a diseased environment would only kill them,” says Vassilis, M.D., an associate professor of pathology and neuroscience at Hopkins.

“We only injected cells in the lower spine, affecting only the nerves and muscles below the waist,” he noted. “The nerves and muscles above the waist, especially those in the chest responsible for breathing, were not helped by these transplanted stem cells.”

A more complete transplant of cells – already being planned — along the full length of the spine to affect upper body nerves and muscles as well might lead to longer survival in the same rats says Vassilis. He believes his experiments present “proof of principle” for stem cell grafts, even though all the rats eventually died of ALS.

Animals engineered to carry a mutated human gene for an inherited form of ALS, also called SOD-1 rats, were used by the research team in their experiments. All the muscles in the body ultimately become paralyzed due to slow nerve cell death, just as it does in humans. The particular SOD-1 rats in the study developed an “especially aggressive” form of the disease.

Human neural stem cells – cells that can in theory become any type found in the nervous system, were injected into the lower spine of adult rats not yet exhibiting symptoms. Another group for comparison purposes was injected with dead human stem cells, which would not affect disease progression. To prevent transplant rejection, both groups of rats were treated with drugs.

Twice a week for 15 weeks, the rats were weighed and tested for strength. According to Vassilis, weight loss indicates disease onset. On average, weight loss started at 59 days for rats injected with live stem cells and they lived for 86 days after injection. The rats injected with dead stem cells (the control group) started losing weight at 52 days and lived for 75 days after injection.

To determine each rats overall strength, they were persuaded to crawl uphill on an angled plank. The highest angle each rat could cling to for 5 seconds without sliding backwards was recorded as an indictor of their strength. The rats injected with live cells grew weaker much more slowly than those injected with dead cells.

It was determined that 70 percent of the transplanted cells developed into nerve cells after close examination. Many of the nerve cells also grew new nerve endings connecting to other cells in the rat’s spinal cord.

“These stem cells differentiate massively into neurons,” says Vassilis, “a pleasant surprise given that the spinal cord has long been considered an environment unfavorable to this type of transformation.”

The cells aptitude to make nerve-cell-specific proteins and growth factors was another important characteristic. In the spinal cord fluid, researchers measured five times more GNDF (short for glial cell derived neurotrophic factor) than normal. Through physical connections, the transformed transplant cells may also deliver these growth factors to other cells in the spinal cord.

In an effort to learn as much as possible about how human stem cells behave when transplanted, Vassilis hopes to take further advantage of his rodents with ALS and possibly make discoveries that lead to clinical applications in the future.

Filed Under: News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With:
October 13, 2006 by

A Local Bank Delivers Global Cures

As a transplant physician at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, Dr. Donna was becoming discouraged with her job.

Donna was attempting to treat her African-American patients with illnesses such as immune system disorders, sickle cell anemia, and leukemia, about ten years ago.

Her aggravation began when she had difficulty finding good matches for transplanting healthy stem cells to her patients. She ultimately turned towards umbilical cord blood, and achieved success.

The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank at Cardinal Glennon has rapidly grown to become the second-largest independent public cord blood bank in the world since its inception in 1995 says manager Regan McDermott. The purpose of the bank is to take blood donated from an infant’s umbilical cord, and handle the collection, processing, and storage of that blood.

Eventually, in order to build up a person’s immune system and make human blood, the stem cells from the cord blood are used in the transplantation of hematopoietic cells.

The fact that they are treating illnesses and at the same time doing so in a manner considered morally acceptable by the Catholic Church makes things even better for Regan and the staff at the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank.

The stem cells at the bank derived from an infant’s umbilical cord blood are referred to as adult stem cells, unlike embryonic stem cells, which are derived by creating and destroying human embryonic life.

Adult stem cells come from any human being who is born.

The Church has repeatedly taught that these stem cells are morally acceptable for research and treatments and do not bring harm to a person.

While the adult stem cells are capable of becoming any of the 220 tissues in the body (multipotent), scientists lack the ability to regulate their growth outside of the body says Reagan.

Cord blood and other adult stem cells are more fitting for use in human therapies because they are more mature and their growth can be directed in a predictable manner added Reagan.

Acute leukemias, Hodgkin’s Disease, immunodeficiency syndromes, congenital disorders, and more have been treated since 1997, with more than 1,000 units of blood exported around the world.

“That’s a huge number considering there have only been around 8,000 (umbilical cord blood) transplants worldwide,” said Regan.

North America accounts for almost 84 percent of the cord blood unit export, but Europe, South America, Australia, and Asia, account for the other 16 percent.

“Because of the philanthropy of the women and doctors and nurses who work in this area, we have been able to serve people all over the world,” she said.

A perfect match is not needed to be able to use the cells for treatment, which is the reason that stem cells from cord blood are so successful says Kathy, a nurse coordinator for the bank.

Cord blood stem cells have a better chance of adapting to another person’s system because they are more immature she said. However, a grown adult’s blood stem cells, in bone marrow for example, already are accustomed to the body in which they had been residing, and have a harder time adapting to another person’s system. Using human leukocyte antigen typing, a testing that determines whether a patient has a suitable donor for stem-cell transplant, a perfect match of six factors is needed for a bone marrow transplant.

But a match count as low as four out of six is acceptable for a cord blood transplant.

Thus, when trying to find a match, ethnic boundaries can be crossed.

“Maybe a Caucasian person is the best match for an African-American person. Or an African American is good for a Hispanic” person, said Kathy.

The survival rate of children who receive adult stem-cell transplants from umbilical cord blood is currently more than 55 percent and is improving for adults, said Regan. The practice of infusing two cords at once and the success of other newer applications is credited for the rate.

Traditional bone marrow transplants have a survival rate of about 35 percent, so cord blood transplants compare favorably said Reagan.

And those patients who cannot wait for a bone marrow search can benefit since cord blood products can be accessed more quickly.

Regan and the bank rely on the doctors and nurses and of course, the generosity of the parents who support the non-profit organization. More than 55,000 cord blood units have been collected since the bank started taking donations in 1996. To bring in donations, the bank works with 28 hospitals and 250 physicians in St. Louis and the metro East area.

The units were first only used in treating children because cord blood donations are so small, ranging from a teaspoon to eight ounces.

“It was thought that the numbers of cells that were in a cord blood unit that’s all you’ve got,” said Regan. “You can’t go back to the baby and draw more cells.”

But there are different ways in which adults could be treated using cord blood stem cells because of their adaptability, as researchers quickly found out. Now cord-blood products are used equally between children and adults confirmed Regan.

The transplant inventory holds between 25 and 30 percent of all the donated units, which translates to more than 14,000 units available for transplant. The remaining units are used for research purposes, she said.

Like other donor registries, such as bone marrow, it is more difficult to find minority donors stated Regan. She noted that the majority of cord blood donors are Caucasian.

In an effort to increase African American cord blood donations, the bank participates in the Charles Drew Community Cord Blood Donor Campaign, an effort of the American Red Cross, St. Louis University, Cardinal Glennon Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Washington University School of Medicine.

Thanks to affiliations with registries such as the National Marrow Donor Program and the Caitlin Raymond International Registry, both stem-cell donor registries, the bank continues to gain exposure.

Spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are all conditions that will be successfully treated with cord blood stem cells. And treatments are already bringing hope to those with life-threatening illnesses said Kathy.

However, “we’re very sensitive about making those claims,” said Regan, because of the bank’s affiliation with the Food and Drug Administration as an investigational new drug application.

“The FDA tells us you can’t make false claims about your products,” she said.

“But there’s no reason we shouldn’t pursue all of those same applications from cord blood or adult stem cells that are being described from embryonic stem cells,” said Regan.

“We like to say with the technology available today, this is what we know will work,” she said. “We get those calls every day, “My daughter has diabetes,” or “So and so has this. Will it help?” We just say honestly we don’t know, but this is what we know it does today.”

Filed Under: Multiple Sclerosis, News, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cells, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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