by admin | Feb 3, 2016 | Stem Cell Research, Studies
More research recently published in Brain Research titled “Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mono-nuclear cells prevents memory impairment in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease.” shows how stem cell therapy may be a promising technique for preventing the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Because of the potential for stem cell therapy to help in neurological disorders, it is already being used in clinical trials for certain afflictions, such as stroke. Here, the scientists demonstrate how the implantation of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMC‘s) can both reduce the deposits of Amyloid-β (Amyloid beta), the protein that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease, as well as improve memory in a mouse model of the disease.
“Together, our results indicate that intravenous transplantation of BMMC‘s (bone marrow-derived mono-nuclear (stem) cells) has preventive effects against the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease model mice and suggest a potential therapeutic effect of BMMC transplantation therapy.”
Amyloid beta, which is observed in the brains of those with forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, has previously been shown to lead to cognitive deficits. Many attempts to develop preventions and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease have thus targeted this specific protein. However, none of these efforts have yet been clinically successful. Our growing understanding of stem cells and their therapeutic applications has opened up a promising new avenue for Alzheimer’s disease research.
The researchers chose to specifically use BMMC‘s because of their heterogeneity and because they are relatively easy to purify and do not requiring culturing. They implanted these cells in DAL mice, which have mitochondrial dysfunction similar to that observed in Alzheimer’s disease. In these mice, BMMC‘s prevented the aggregation of Amyloid beta and led mice to perform as well as normal mice in a spatial and learning and memory task. Impressively, these effects were observed even when cognitive decline had already begun in DAL mice.
This research strongly supports the idea that stem cells could help prevent the physiological and behavioral manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease. As research moves into the clinical phase, the specific ways that stem cells can aid in dealing with this devastating disease.
Learn more about stem cell therapy for Alzheimer’s disease.
Reference
Kanamaru, T. et al. (2015). Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells prevents memory impairment in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Research, 1605, 49-58.
by admin | Nov 21, 2015 | Multiple Sclerosis, Stem Cell Research, Studies
At 6 months post-treatment, neurological improvement or stabilization was observed from all (99) patients in the study except one.
In their recently published study, Long-term outcomes of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning in multiple sclerosis: physician’s and patient’s perspectives, published in the Annals of Hematology Journal, Shevchenko et al. describe the effects of an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) with high-dose immunosuppressive therapy (HDIT) on 99 patients with multiple sclerosis. That the stem cell transplantation is autologous means that the stem cells derive from the patient’s own body, and the stem cells being hematopoietic indicates that the stem cells give rise to blood cells.
The idea for this type of therapy for multiple sclerosis has stemmed from the fact that multiple sclerosis is characterized by nervous system inflammation. Because inflammation results from activities of the immune system, it has been thought that targeting the immune system to reduce its activity could improve symptoms of the disease. More specifically, this particular combination therapy, using AHSCT and HDIT, has been aimed at destroying the immune system and rebuilding a separate system from hematopoietic stem cells so that the new immune system functions more favorably in those with multiple sclerosis.
AHSCT and HDIT have been used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis for several years, but the specific way these techniques are able to improve multiple sclerosis is not well understood. Further, there is some debate about both the safety and effectiveness of these treatments. Small sample sizes and homogeneous patient groups have plagued many of the studies performed to address these issues. In the present study, however, the researchers studied patients with different types of multiple sclerosis. This experimental structure allowed the scientists to show that AHSCT and HDIT used in combination can help those with both remitting and progressive multiple sclerosis and that the positive effects on the disease appeared to endure over long-term periods. At 6 months post-treatment, neurological improvement or stabilization was observed from all (99) patients in the study except one. The average follow up time for patients was 62 months, or just over 5 years, and up to and at this point, 47% of patients demonstrated significant improvement jumping at least 0.5 points on the Expanded Disability Status Scale EDSS scale. These results are highly informative for physicians treating patients with multiple sclerosis and are a promising demonstration of the potential for stem cells to improve conditions like multiple sclerosis.
Learn more about stem cell therapy for Multiple Sclerosis.
- Reference
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Shevchenko, J. L., et al. “Long-term outcomes of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning in multiple sclerosis: physician’s and patient’s perspectives.” Annals of hematology 94.7 (2015): 1149.
- Study Abstract
by admin | Oct 19, 2015 | Parkinson's Disease, Stem Cell Research, Studies
Earlier this year, a group of scientists led by Yoo-Hun Suh at the Seoul National University Medical College published their work demonstrating the potential use of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASC‘s) in Parkinson’s therapy. Their article, Therapeutic potentials of human adipose-derived stem cells on the mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, was published in the academic journal Neurobiology of Aging.
Many Parkinson’s disease treatments aim to compensate for the loss of dopamine that is seen in the brains of Parkinson’s patients, but because those treatments have their limitations, focus has shifted to the use of stem cells as a therapeutic option for Parkinson’s disease. The rise in stem cell research for Parkinson’s disease has also increased as scientists have recognized the importance of mitochondrial deterioration in the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Stem cells that can be easily transplanted and readily proliferate are seen as ideal stem cell candidates for such treatments. hASC are pluripotent, meaning they can differentiate into a number of different types of cells, including cells that resemble neurons, the cells of the brain. These particular stem cells are useful because they tend not to create a reaction by the immune system, and they can pass the blood-brain barrier and proliferate within the brain.
In this study, the researchers used a common mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, which is created with a specific neurotoxin called 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). They injected hASC into the veins of mice and assessed how these stem cells affected Parkinson’s disease symptoms, dopamine levels in the striatum, the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s disease, and the integrity of mitochondria.
The researchers found that hASC improved the motor deficits in the mice modeled to display Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, the researchers also showed increased dopamine levels in the striatum of these mice. Finally, the researchers also showed that mitochondrial function was restored in mice who received hASC injections.
Overall, this study captures the significant potential of hASC to provide successful therapies for neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease. That the injection of these cells in a mouse model of Parkinson’s led to both behavioral and physiological improvements in mice demonstrates the great promise for stem cell therapies, and in this context, particularly for therapies developed from adipose-derived stem cells.
Learn more about stem cell treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Reference
Choi, H., Kim, H., Oh, J., Park, H., Ra, J., Chang, K., & Suh, Y. (2015). Therapeutic potentials of human adipose-derived stem cells on the mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Neurobiology of Aging, 36(10), 2885-2892.
by admin | Sep 13, 2015 | Stem Cell Research, Studies
In their article, Neurogenic differentiation of murine and human adipose-derived stromal cells, Kristine Safford and colleagues provide evidence for a new candidate for brain therapies. Much of our body’s tissue is able to regenerate to repair itself following injury. However, brain tissue, or neural tissue, does not have this capacity. It has therefore been a priority for medical researchers to identify strategies for repairing damaged brain tissue.
Certain cells, such as embryonic stem cells, can be treated so that they turn into brain cells. However, because it is difficult to access these types of cells, there has been an ongoing search for other ways to create neural tissue for therapeutic purposes. In this publication, the researchers share their finding that fat tissue, or adipose tissue, from adults, may be able to serve this function. Here, the researchers demonstrate that they were able to induce adipose-derived stem cells to undergo alterations that resulted in cells resembling brain cells, or neurons. The researchers were able to change both the shape and chemical features of adipose-derived stem cells so that these aspects of the cells were consistent with those of normal neurons.
This study provides a new therapeutic candidate for brain injury. Ongoing research that aims to determine whether adipose-derived stem cells can be used to develop mature neurons that function appropriately as neurons will clarify whether adipose-derived stem cells will indeed eventually be able to be used to treat specific brain injuries or abnormalities.
Learn more about treating brain disorders with stem cells.
Source
Safford, K.M. et al. Neurogenic differentiation of murine and human adipose-derived stromal cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 294, 371-379
by admin | Mar 8, 2015 | Multiple Sclerosis, Stem Cell Research
Another year has past and Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month is upon us once again. Every month we treat new patients that have been diagnosed with this disease and while it has been a pleasure for us to do so – it is something we wish we did not have to do. While we are seeing significant progress in our patients, the work of the MS and stem cell communities is far from finished. Let this month not only remind us of Multiple Sclerosis and its effects on friends and loved ones but also on treatments, research, and continuing efforts being used to eradicate its existence.
Over 2 million people in the world have officially heard the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but researchers expect the actual number is far more and growing quickly. MS is considered a difficult disease to diagnose and treat due to the variety of symptoms a patient experiences throughout its progression. MS research has resulted in two treatment methods; the first method is preventing the abnormal response of one’s immune system. The second method involves the replenishment of the myelin sheath cells protecting the nerve fibers in your brain. Medications designed today follow the first method in delaying the abnormal immune response. Traditionally, there was a lack of treatment options for the second method. However, with new research and technology, Stemedix, and physicians of regenerative medicine have produced a treatment to assist in replacing the cells damaged by this disease.
Adult stem cell therapy, also known as Adipose-Derived Stem Cell (ADSC) treatment, is a regenerative procedure designed to use your own supply of stem cells to repair and replace diseased tissue in the body. Past treatments have shown that adult stem cells not only have the potential to regenerate lost or damaged myelin sheath tissues, but also have the ability to modulate the immune system, temporarily disabling the abnormal attack and helping to slow its progress.
The physicians and researchers at Stemedix are revolutionizing this treatment to offer relief and continued hope to patients battling with this life altering diagnosis. This procedure includes the harvesting hundreds of millions of stem cells from their most abundant source, the patients adipose (fat) tissue, activating them through an enrichment process, and reintroducing them into the human body. These stem cells are hardwired to target areas of the body following inflammatory signals from your brain telling them where repair is needed most. The newly introduced adult stem cells follow your body’s signals and and begin the necessary repairs. This advancement in using adult stem cell therapy assists the body to regenerate missing or diseased tissue that would not ordinarily be regrown.
This month help us spread the word and assist others in fighting back against this debilitating condition.
Learn more about stem cell treatment for Multiple Sclerosis.
by admin | Aug 11, 2014 | Multiple Sclerosis, Stem Cell Research
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nerves and muscles that is generally regarded as untreatable. In fact, when patients are diagnosed with this condition, the usual treatment is merely to support the problems and not attempt to cure the underlying cause. This is generally because there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but recent attempts into using stem cell therapy in this disease have proven that it may actually be more treatable than traditional doctors expect. Of all the conditions stem cells have been used to treat, multiple sclerosis seems to respond the best to the process.
How Stem Cells Help Multiple Sclerosis
Stem cells can help a condition like multiple sclerosis because the symptoms arise from the breakdown of nerve cells in the body. Plaques form on the nerves and cause impairment to the muscles that respond to those nerves. It is usually a systemic problem, and nerve tissue very rarely regenerates. When nerve tissue is damaged, it tends to remain that way for the rest of the person’s life, causing a great deal of pain and anguish to the patient.
When using stem cells to treat multiple sclerosis, the cells are actually given in a systemic way. They are inserted into the body using an intravenous line, and the cells go anywhere they are needed. In addition, stem cells can differentiate into the cells needed at the time. This means that stem cells can regenerate nerve tissue because they can form the progenitor cells that allow for new nerves to grow. For this reason, stem cells are able to regrow nerve cells that are impacted by the multiple sclerosis, restore movement to muscles, and decrease pain. When the cells are taken from a liposuction procedure, the amount of cells harvested is much greater than with other methods, and this means a more forceful result for the multiple sclerosis patient.
Results from Our Patients
The results from Stemedix patients who have multiple sclerosis have been nothing short of fantastic. We have found that all of the patients who had our treatment came away with some improvement in their condition. This isn’t to say that the disease was cured or went into remission. It simply means that those who had our treatments reported a substantial decrease in various symptoms at the three month and six month marks in their journey. For example one patient described:
“…Bad headaches are gone, vision is better, skin rashes are gone, head tremors are better, neuropathy in feet and hands improved, brain fog has improved; balance/ falling has improved, muscle twitching is gone, jaw/locking is gone; flu like systems are better, terrible nightmares are not happening anymore…”
“Before the treatment I went from the bed to the couch. Now I am able to do some things throughout the day.”
This is good news for multiple sclerosis patients because it means there is something more you can do than simply supporting symptoms. Stem cells offer a way to treat some of the underlying symptoms and help to alleviate them. When other doctors have nothing but medications to keep you comfortable, stem cells have an excellent track record for making multiple sclerosis patients feel better than any other form of treatment. Although it is not a panacea to get rid of all your problems, it is definitely something to look into if you suffer from this condition. Many people around the world have tried stem cells for multiple sclerosis, and it is only a matter of time before it becomes the mainstream treatment for this debilitating condition.
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