by admin | May 7, 2018 | ALS, Stem Cell Research
Stem cells are being increasingly used to create therapies to address diseases across a number of organs. Neurodegenerative disease is one category for which there has been an abundance of research into the potential of stem cells to slow symptom progression or reverse symptoms altogether. For some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, the approach for using stem cells is to create a therapy that enables the cells that are lost through the disease to be replaced by new cells. It is the hope of scientists and clinicians that this type cell replacement therapy will halt aspects of the disease that result from cell loss.
Recently, scientists published experimental results in PLoS One that demonstrate the potential of another type of stem cell approach. More specifically, these researchers showed that in the case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), using stem cells to help create a protective environment for existing cells may have a positive impact on disease progression. The specific type of stem cells used in this experiment was the mesenchymal stem cell.
While cell replacement therapies often employ mesenchymal stem cells because of their ability to differentiate into many different cell types, the researchers in this study used them because of their promise for enhancing the health of a cell environment. Indeed, these cells are known to have immunomodulatory properties and to fight inflammation.
The researchers specifically looked at how mesenchymal stem cells could affect motor neurons and glia because these are the cell types that are implicated in ALS. What they found was that these stem cells were able to reduce apoptosis, a process whereby cells self-destruct as a result of cues in the environment that alert the cells to unhealthy conditions. Critically, the extent to which this type of cell destruction was minimized depended on the amount of mesenchymal stem cell that was present. In other words, with more stem cells came more protection.
Another important observation was that mesenchymal stem cells were associated with the expression of important growth factors that are known to support healthy environments and to reduce markers of inflammation, which tend to be associated with unhealthy environments.
Together, these results suggest that ALS could potentially be addressed with stem cells without the development of aggressive cell replacement therapies. Instead, stem cells could be used to create protective environments for neurons that are normally affected by the disease.
by admin | Apr 30, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
There is no effective cure currently available for inflammatory skin disorders. Because of their ability to impact the immune system and thereby modify inflammatory processes, mesenchymal stem cells offer a promising foundation for developing a treatment for inflammatory skin disorders. A recent review published in the International Journal of Molecular Science described the evidence to date that supports the use of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of these skin disorders.
According to the authors of the review, their previous work in both clinical and preclinical settings has shown that mesenchymal stem cells are effective in the treatment of one specific major inflammatory skin disease, atopic dermatitis. The authors note that other researchers have also found similar results and argue that these consistent findings suggest that mesenchymal stem cells would likely be useful in treating other types of inflammatory dermatosis.
One of the most promising observations related to mesenchymal stem cells and inflammatory skin disorders are the anti-inflammatory effect that mesenchymal stem cells tend to have when implanted. Given that implantation of foreign substances tends to itself enhance inflammation, the reduction in inflammation that is seen following the transplant of mesenchymal stem cells is an impressive illustration of the power of these cells’ anti-inflammatory impact. Based on the research, these cells are able to combat inflammation by modifying activity in the cells of the immune system that cause inflammation.
The authors also point to other ways that mesenchymal stem cells could be used to treat inflammatory skin disorders, such as cell priming. Cell priming refers to the introduction of cells of the immune system to specific antigens so that an immune response will later occur when those cells are re-exposed to the same antigens. This process happens organically within the immune system but can also be used strategically in medicine to modify immune responses.
Based on the evidence put forth in this review, there is substantial evidence to support further exploration of the use of mesenchymal stem cells to treat inflammatory skin conditions. Future research will help scientists and clinicians determine how best to use these cells to improve quality of life for patients with each of these types of skin conditions.
by admin | Apr 24, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
A recent review in the International Journal of Molecular Science has outlined the role that stem cells play in psoriasis. The first clinical trials using stem cells to address psoriasis are currently underway. The idea to use stem cells to treat psoriasis came serendipitously when researchers observed that, when patients with other conditions were treated with stem cells, their skin lesions underwent remission.
The specific stem cells that have proven useful in healing these skin lesions are mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells. However, there is potential for other stem cell types to help with psoriasis as well. Indeed, according to the researchers, psoriasis patients who have undergone bone marrow stem cells transplants have also gone into remission.
A major challenge in treating psoriasis is the complexity of the condition, which involves relationships between skin cells, immune cells, and the vascular endothelium. However, dysfunction of certain stem cells has been identified as a potential contributor to psoriasis and provides theoretical credence to the value of stem cells in a treatment against the condition.
Based on research into the mechanisms by which stem cells may be able to help patients with psoriasis, there are a number of effects of stem cells that are advantageous. For instance, the stem cells impact both cells of the skin, affecting the proliferation and differentiation of those cells, as well as cells of the immune system. The multiple ways that stem cells can affect psoriasis support the view of psoriasis as a multi-system condition.
Given that psoriasis appears to be not only a condition of the skin, but one of the immune system, developing an effective therapy can be challenging. Treatments to help patients with psoriasis would ideally address both the skin symptoms that plague these patients, as well as the underlying physiological processes that lead to the skin condition. Future research will need to address how specific types of stem cells can help those with psoriasis and how these different stem cells impact specific aspects of the condition.
by admin | Apr 19, 2018 | Multiple Sclerosis, Stem Cell Research
Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the material that insulates nerve cells. As the immune system breaks down these myelin sheaths that coat the nerves, it becomes progressively more difficult for cells of the nervous system to communicate with one another. A new study on the potential use of stem cells to treat multiple sclerosis has led to promising results.
Because stem cells – and specifically, mesenchymal stem cells have been used to treat other immune conditions and inflammatory conditions successfully, scientists have reasoned that these stem cells may be able to help with multiple sclerosis. In this recent study, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine this year, scientists aimed to determine if umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are safe in patients with multiple sclerosis and if they may have any impact on the disease.
The study involved a full year investigation into 20 participants who had multiple sclerosis. The mean age for enrollees was approximately 41 years, and 60% of participants were female. One-quarter of the subjects did not take any medications for their multiple sclerosis over the course of the study. All subjects received seven infusions of stem cells over the course of one week. Their neurological and imaging tests to assess subjects’ neurological status were implemented before the infusions, as well as one month after and one year after the treatment.
The researchers determined that the stem cell regimen was safe, as no patients suffered any serious adverse side effects during the course of treatment. There were some complaints of headaches and fatigue, however. The researchers also concluded that the stem cell therapy was effective in helping the multiple sclerosis patients, as several of their scores improved one month after the treatment. In addition to performance measures, reported quality of life also improved with the treatment. Impressively, inactive lesions were observed in the majority of MRI scans of the brain and spinal cord (83.3%) one year after treatment.
Twenty percent of the participants reduced their medication in the follow-up period. These promising results suggest that stem cells may be able to help multiple sclerosis patients and that these types of treatments need to be further explored for their potential to help this set of patients.
by admin | Apr 4, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
Diabetic foot ulcer, which, by 2030, is projected to occur in 25% of patients who suffer from diabetes, does not currently have an attractive treatment option. The therapies that are used today are expensive, require long-term stays in the hospital, and are often not associated with complete recovery. As such, cell-based therapies have been under investigation for their potential to help with the development of an effective therapeutic approach for diabetic foot ulcer. A recent case report describes the use of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem-cell hydrogel in a patient with diabetic foot ulcer and demonstrates the potential promise of this strategy.
The patient covered in this case report is a 57-year old female who has type 2 diabetes and had suffered from diabetic foot ulcer on her right foot for 20 days. Conventional therapies had made no impact on the foot ulcer. Following conventional approaches, the patient received stem-cell hydrogel topical wound treatment, where the clinicians filled the entire wound surface with gel and observed and cleaned the wound daily for 3 weeks.
The ulcer significantly improved with the use of the hydrogel treatment. Not only did the wound almost fully heel, but the patient’s foot function was also well preserved. The patient was able to walk normally. The treatment was not associated with any complications, and there was no recurrence of the ulcer during the 6-month follow-up period.
Based on their observations of the effect of the placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cell hydrogel on a patient’s diabetic foot ulcer, the authors of this case study concluded that the hydrogel may be an effective strategy for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer. According to the authors, this was the first patient in the world to receive this hydrogel treatment for diabetic foot ulcer. Thus, the results set the stage for more research into how this hydrogel and other stem cell treatments may be used to help with diabetes complications such as diabetic foot ulcer.
by admin | Apr 2, 2018 | Stem Cell Research
A recent publication in Advanced Experimental Medicine and Biology has pointed to the ways that stem cell technology is not only helping us to develop promising therapeutics for a number of diseases, but it is also helping us advance our understanding of a number of brain disorders.
The authors point to well-known diseases like Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease – that, despite much attention, funding, and research, are still not preventable or fully curable diseases. They also point to less well-known diseases like fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Rett syndrome.
Fragile X syndrome affects more males than females and delayed speech and language development. It is characterized by learning disabilities and deficits in cognition.
Similarly, Angelman syndrome, which is rare, is associated with developmental delays. However, those affected by this syndrome also suffer from balance disturbances, seizures, and difficulties with walking.
Prader-Willi syndrome leads to weak muscle tone and affects many parts of the body. Physical development is therefore what tends to be delayed in this syndrome. Type 2 Diabetes and obesity are common complications.
Patients with Rett syndrome are almost always female and display repetitive hand motions constantly while they are awake. These patients experience difficulties across a spectrum of functions, including speaking, eating, walking, and breathing.
All these diseases that authors of this publication discuss have genetic underpinnings, and, according to the authors, can be investigated in new ways thanks to stem cell technologies. What stem cell technology affords is an enormous source of brain cells and their precursors that can be used to help model these diseases and to observe how different factors affect aspects of the disease.
With better models, tests of therapeutics become more robust as well. The hope is that eventually, stem cells will enable us to understand (epi)genetic brain disorders and also develop ways to effectively prevent or treat them.
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