A multinational group of scientists has developed a type of conditioned media from adipose stromal cells which they have utilized to protect the brain against hypoxia- and ischemia-induced brain damage in neonatal rats.

Led by Dr. Xing Wei of the Department of Neurology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, the scientists used a neonatal Sprague-Dawley rat model of cerebral palsy to assess the protective properties of the adipose stem cell conditioned media on neurological tissue, from which they found that the conditioned media has a protective effect on brain cells when the media is administered either one hour before, or 24 hours after, the induction of ischemic injury. Specifically, the scientists observed protection against a loss of brain volume in the hippocampal and cortical regions of the brain. Additionally, the conditioned media was also found to preserve and protect mental function as measured according to the Morris water maze test. Possible mediators that were identified in the protective mechanism of the media included IGF-1 (insulinlike growth factor 1) and BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor).

Autologous (in which the donor and recipient are the same person) adult stem cells of several varieties have already been widely documented for their ability to mediate neural protection subsequent to brain insults such as stroke, after which it is already known that bone marrow stem cells, for example, are naturally mobilized, and the extent of a patient’s bone marrow stem cell mobilization is directly related to the extent of his or her post-stroke recovery. Additionally, autologous adult stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood have been widely and repeatedly demonstrated to have therapeutic effects in children with cerebral palsy, as reported especially by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg at Duke University. Now Dr. Wei’s study sheds further light on the phenomenon by identifying with greater specificity the mechanisms of action that are involved in such therapeutic recovery.

Dr. Wei and his colleagues in Indiana conducted the study in collaboration with researchers in Germany, Ireland, and at the Rockefeller University in New York. The publication appeared in the IFATS Series, of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science.

Caring for babies suffering from cerebral palsy or those who suffer a stroke may soon follow a protocol similar to what Dr. Tadashi Masuda and Dr. Mina Maki are performing today. They are preparing for a transplant, the first step: placing two syringes inside an ice packed plastic foam box.

Protocols that could be followed in any clinic in the country are being developed by Cesar Borlongan and his team inside the laboratory at the Augusta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. While establishing a systematic method, they hope to also prove that adult bone marrow-derived stem cells are effective in helping repair the brain damage.

This particular stem cell therapy is being studied in animal models by Dr. Borlongan, also an associate professor at the Medical College of Georgia, and Dr. David Hess, MCG chairman of neurology. The research is being facilitated by a $4.2 million dollar grant which will span five years. The same therapy will be studied for use in babies who, due to lack of blood or lack of oxygen around the time of birth, suffer brain damage. 10 percent of the cases of cerebral palsy can be attributed to this this circumstance. This second study will funded by an additional $1.8 million dollar grant spanning three years, and the research will be carried out with James Carroll, chief of pediatric neurology at MCG.

The research on cerebral palsy may be approved for human trials sooner since the procedure has already been proven to be relatively safe and there is a lack of existing therapies for the condition as well.

“I would hope we would get a start on this in a year,” Dr. Carroll said.

The researchers were looking for methods that could be duplicated easily, such as shipping the cells in a liquid nitrogen container to thawing them and loading them into syringes for injection into an IV. Just as if they were trying to get the FDA to approve a new drug, the approach for the stroke model has been standardized said Dr. Borlongan.

“This is the same way we’re going to do it in the clinic,” he said. “Once the cells arrive in the clinic, all the clinicians will do is thaw the cells and then inject them into the patient.”

Dr. Borlongan said that they now believe the benefit to stroke victims might be from growth factors secreted by the cells as opposed to the former theory that the benefit was derived from the replacement of damaged cells.

“Once they release these beneficial substances, they help rescue the dying cells from the host tissue,” he said. “And they also increase the production of new cells.”

Dr. Carroll said that neonatal patients could also benefit from the treatment.

“We think it may have some additive effect in terms of new brain cells, but the main effect has to do with assisting with brain repair,” he said.

Many stroke patients arrive at the hospital too late to meet the deadline of a three-hour window in which a clot-busting drug must be given. The possibility of creating a treatment that could provide benefits past this point of no return has sparked the interest of many. Even days after stroke, observations from animal models showed that the treatment made a difference according to MCG researchers.

“What we have seen with the stem cells, even after seven days post-stroke, you can get functional benefit,” Dr. Borlongan said. “But because most stroke patients are discharged after a few days, they chose a two-day time frame to deliver the stem cells. And because these are adults cells, and not the embryonic stem cells that have generated much controversy, they can sidestep some of those ethical concerns,” Dr. Borlongan said.

Dr. Borlongan said that prior to using human cells, rodent cells will be the focus in order to prove safety and effectiveness. Human trials could follow in the fifth year, when the team plans to apply to the Food and Drug Administration.

“Hopefully, after the five-year project, we’ll have something to give to the patient,” he said.

Highlighting the increasing therapeutic use of autologous (one’s own) cord blood stem cells for transplant and regenerative medicine, including treatments for neurological repair, juvenile diabetes, and blood and immune disorders, two separate data abstracts were displayed today at the annual scientific meeting of the AABB. The advancement of these treatments was part of the focus as well, and the important role of family (or private) cord blood banks was demonstrated. The international association of medical professionals and institutions focused on transfusion, transplantation and cellular therapy.

In order to treat aplastic anemia, an individual’s own cord blood stem cells were released in the first study which analyzed four cases. The transplants were conducted at three different institutions: Children’s Hospital in Seattle, City of Hope (Los Angeles), and the University of Minnesota. Cord Blood Registry was responsible for processing and storing the cord blood prior to treatment.

The cases demonstrate that this approach is amenable to use at different treatment centers across the United States and also suggests that autologous cord blood transplantation for aplastic anemia is a safe and effective treatment protocol.

“Aplastic anemia is a life-threatening disease with no known cause that can be acquired at any time in life and is difficult to treat,” said lead study investigator Dr. David T. Harris, Ph.D., professor of immunology at the University of Arizona and scientific director of Cord Blood Registry. “This study offers evidence that transplant physicians have a safe and effective weapon for combating this disease for patients who have access to their own cord blood stem cells.”

The analysis also showed that:

— The average time to engraftment (the point at which the stem cells start to generate new blood cells) for cord blood is between 21 and 35 days according to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Engraftment averaged 22 days across the four cases and in one patient, occurred as early as two day after transplantation.

— Marking the longest period of time a family-banked cord blood sample has been stored prior to use, one of the autologous samples used was stored for 9.5 years.

Use in both regenerative and traditional medicine applications was documented in a second report involving 13 cases of autologous cord blood stem cell use. An increase in samples requested for regenerative medicine applications was indicated by the data and a rising demand for autologous cord blood over the last 10 years was also suggested.

The report documented nine samples released for regenerative therapies in addition to the four cases of aplastic anemia (reviewed in detail in the first study).

— Stem cell infusions were conducted at Duke University and Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Six samples were released to treat neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury (one sample), anoxic brain injury (one sample), and cerebral palsy (four samples). Some anecdotal reports of improvement in quality of life, and anecdotal evidence by physicians involved with these cases suggests that the treatments were safe. This was because these six samples were not released as part of any specific clinical trial. Two more samples were released for treatment of cerebral palsy since the study period ended.

— As part of an ongoing clinical trial at the University of Florida, two client samples were released for type 1 diabetes. Possibly slowing the destruction of their insulin-producing cells and resetting the immune system, preliminary data from the first seven patients in the trial show the stem cell infusion appears to have reduced their disease severity.

— To treat a diagnosis of a rare immune disorder, one additional sample was released for an experimental autologous stem cell infusion.

“Cord blood stem cells are increasingly being used by transplant physicians in regenerative medicine because of their demonstrated ability to produce almost all of the cell types of the body,” said Harris. “These cases provide physicians and researchers with additional insight into how cord blood stem cells may be used to treat more conditions and ultimately benefit more patients.”

Regenerative medicine therapies could provide benefits to approximately one in three Americans according to current estimates. Currently, the U.S. alone is conducting more than 200 National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded clinical trials with cord blood.

Existing as the most recommended cord blood bank by obstetricians for eventual familial use in transplantation and regenerative medicine, Cord Blood Registry(R) (CBR(R)) is the largest cord blood stem cell processing and cryopreservation service. For more than 190,000 newborns throughout the world, Cord Blood Registry preserves cord blood stem cells. Amounting to a number eclipsing any other family cord blood bank, the AABB accredited CBR has released more than 55 client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use. Focusing on the collection, processing and storage technologies to optimize quality and cell yield, the company

To provide their eight-year-old daughter a revolutionary new treatment, a Bournemouth couple is trying to raise

A breakthrough in the treatment of Cerebral Palsy was announced today. The safe and non-invasive procedure was performed on 19-year-old Gabor from Hungary using neural stem cells. The treatment was administered at Tiantan Puhua Neurosurgical Hospital which is famous for its world leading treatments for stroke and Parkinson

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.

Mary and her family, in the midst of another two dozen families, met with President George Bush before he signed two bills and vetoed another connected to stem cell research.

During a 15 second photo op, Mary tried to tell the story of her 3-year-old son. Ryan who suffers from mild cerebral palsy, she told the president, was the first child in the nation to be injected with stem cells from her own umbilical cord blood.

Her son received the infusion and immediately showed significant signs of improvement. Since October, the Batavia mother has tried to spread the story of her son to the masses, and now she had the chance to tell President Bush.

“I said, ‘My son is symptom-free now,’ and he just was floored. He just was speechless,” Mary said. “His mouth went open and he said, ‘What? Really?'”

Bush was quite interested in what Mary had to say, judging by the way he tried to follow her before he was pulled back by his staff, Mary stated.

A year prior to their child’s birth, Mary and her husband Steve decided to bank her cord blood and save Ryan’s umbilical cord after learning the significance of stem cells. One of Mary’s family members had died of leukemia because they were unable to find a compatible match of bone marrow, another source of stem cells.

Stem cells derived from cord blood (a rich source for stem cells), have revealed that they can differentiate into other varieties of cells in the body. Cord blood, used for many years as a cancer treatment was used in unique circumstances. Ryan’s case was the first where the stem cells were being used to treat a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy.

Since there is no way to track if the stem cells are in fact the cause of health improvements, physicians and researchers are tentative to endorse the procedure says Mary. She finally went to an agreeing physician at Duke University in North Carolina after months of probing and rejection for the treatment from other clinics and doctors.

“Now he talks fine, he has no feeding issues, he has all his mobility back. There’s no need for occupational or speech therapy — he’s signed up for swim class,” she said.

Ryan no longer has the disorder according to evaluations by the Easter Seals and neurologists, Mary said.

“I’m grateful every single day. He isn’t even aware of what he was missing and what he’s gotten back. It’s so cool he’s got all these options and abilities in life now,” his mother said.

Anxious to get the word out, she has called legislators and “raised some eyebrows,” landing her an invitation to speak at a press conference about stem cell research in Washington, D.C., last month. Mary met with several senators, and Ryan’s story was brought up on the Senate floor by both Senators Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan.

In her pursuit to accomplish her goal of informing families around the nation about the magnitude of cord blood, she looked at her meeting with the president as the first step in her journey.

“For my family, they were awestruck. For me, it was, ‘This is my chance, this is my 15 seconds to get the message out for these families and these kids,'” she said. “I was on a mission.”

Upon returning Batavia, Mary plans to work on launching her foundation — www.neurocordblood.org — which will supply information about cord blood banking.

“The abilities you can have with this are just astounding,” she said. “It’s going to help so many kids.”