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MS mice walk after stem cell treatment

By Stem Cell Treatment

Treatment with human stem cells has allowed mice crippled by a version of multiple sclerosis to walk again after less than two weeks.

Scientists admit to being astonished by the result and believe it opens up a new avenue of research in the quest for solutions to MS.

Prof Tom Lane, from the University of Utah, who led the US team, recalled: My postdoctoral fellow Dr Lu Chen came to me and said the mice are walking. I didnt believe her.

The mice had a condition that mimics the symptoms of human MS. They were so disabled they could not stand long enough to eat and drink and had to be hand-fed.

The scientists transplanted human neural stem cells into the mice expecting them to be rejected. But within 10 to 14 days, the mice had regained motor skills and were able to walk again.

Six months later, they showed no sign of relapsing.

The findings, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, suggest the mice experienced at least a partial reversal of their symptoms.

A similar outcome in humans could help patients with potentially disabling progressive stages of the disease for which there are no treatments.

This result opens up a whole new area of research for us to figure out why it worked, said co-author Dr Jeanne Loring, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

Weve long forgotten our original plan.

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MS mice walk after stem cell treatment

Stem cell therapy shows promise for multiple sclerosis

By Stem Cell Treatment

In this image, the top row shows the stem cells transplanted into the mouse spinal cord. The lower row shows a close-up of the stem cells (brown). By day 7 post-transplant, the stem cells are no longer detectable. Within this short period of time, the stem cells have sent chemical signals to the mouses own cells, enabling them to repair the nerve damage caused by MS. (image: Lu Chen)

For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), current treatment options only address early-stage symptoms of the debilitating disease. Now, new research has found a potential treatment that could both stop disease progression and repair existing damage.

In a study published in Stem Cell Reports, researchers utilized a group of paralyzed mice genetically engineered to have an MS-like condition. Initially, the researchers set out to study the mechanisms of stem cell rejection in the mice. However, two weeks after injecting the mice with human neural stem cells, the researchers made the unexpected discovery that the mice had regained their ability to walk.

This had a lot of luck to do with it; right place, right time co-senior author Jeanne Loring, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, told FoxNews.com. [co-senior author Tom Lane] called me up and said, Youre not going to believe this. He sent me a video, and it showed the mice running around the cages. I said, Are you sure these are the same mice?

Loring, whose lab specializes in turning human stem cells into neural precursor cells, or pluripotent cells, collaborated with Tom Lane, a professor of pathology at the University of Utah whose focus is on neuroinflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. The team was interested in stem cell rejection in MS models in order to understand the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to rejection of potential stem cell therapies for the disease.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide. For people with MS, the immune system misguidedly attacks the bodys myelin, the insulating coating on nerve fibers.

In a nutshell, its the rubber sheath that protects the electrical wire; the axon that extends from the nerves cell body is insulated by myelin, Lane, who began the study while at the University of California, Irvine, told FoxNews.com

Once the myelin has been lost, nerve fibers are unable to transmit electric signals efficiently, leading to symptoms such as vision and motor skill problems, fatigue, slurred speech, memory difficulties and depression.

The researchers inadvertent treatment appeared to work in two ways. First, there was a decrease of inflammation within the central nervous system of the mice, preventing the disease from progressing. Secondly, the injected cells released proteins that signaled cells to regenerate myelin and repair existing damage.

While the stem cells were rejected in the mice after 10 days, researchers were able to see improvements for up to six months after initial implantation.

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Stem cell therapy shows promise for multiple sclerosis

Mice with multiple sclerosis-like condition walk again after human stem cell treatment

By Stem Cell Treatment

Mice severely disabled by a multiple sclerosis (MS) -- like condition could walk less than two weeks following treatment with human stem cells. The finding, which uncovers new avenues for treating MS, will be published online on May 15, 2014, in the journal Stem Cell Reports.

When scientists transplanted human stem cells into MS mice, they predicted the cells would be rejected, much like rejection of an organ transplant.

Expecting no benefit to the mice, they were surprised when the experiment yielded spectacular results.

"My postdoctoral fellow Dr. Lu Chen came to me and said, 'The mice are walking.' I didn't believe her," said co-senior author, Tom Lane, Ph.D., a professor of pathology at the University of Utah, who began the work at University of California, Irvine.

Within just 10 to 14 days, the mice regained motor skills. Six months later, they still showed no signs of slowing down.

"This result opens up a whole new area of research for us," said co-senior author Jeanne Loring, Ph.D., co-senior author and professor at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

More than 2.3 million people worldwide have MS, a disease where the immune system attacks myelin, an insulation layer surrounding nerve fibers. The resulting damage inhibits nerve impulses, producing symptoms that include difficulty walking, impaired vision, fatigue and pain.

The MS mice treated with human stem cells experience a reversal of symptoms. Immune attacks are blunted, and damaged myelin is repaired, explaining their dramatic recovery. The discovery could help patients with latter, or progressive, stages of the disease, for whom there are no treatments.

Counterintuitively, the researchers' original prediction that the mice would reject the stem cells, came true. There are no signs of the cells after one week. In that short window, they send chemical signals that instruct the mouse's own cells to repair the damage caused by MS. This realization could be important for therapy development.

"Rather than having to engraft stem cells into a patient, which can be challenging, we might be able to put those chemical signals into a drug that can be used to deliver the therapy much more easily," said Lane.

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Mice with multiple sclerosis-like condition walk again after human stem cell treatment

Stem Cells to The Rescue: Repairing The Hearts

By Stem Cell Doctors

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) --

"Grace is what's carried me through this," Minch told Ivanhoe.

Ten years ago, at just 49, the choir singer and her husband were told she would need a quadruple bypass.

"Now we are at the point where my heart is severely damaged and nothing is really helping," Minch said.

Doctors said a heart transplant was her only option, but she'll soon find out if she'll be accepted into a new trial that could use her own stem cells to help repair the once thought irreversible damage, "or even create new blood vessels within areas of the heart that have been damaged," Jon George, MD, Interventional Cardiologist, Temple University School of Medicine, told Ivanhoe.

First, stem cells are taken from a patient's bone marrow. Then using a special catheter and 3D mapping tool, the cells are injected directly into the damaged tissue.

"We have results from animal data that show blood vessels regrow in the patients that actually get stem cell therapy," Dr. George said.

It's a possible answer to Debbie's prayers.

Temple University Hospital is currently pre-screening patients for the trial. For more information, call 215-707-5340.

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Stem Cells to The Rescue: Repairing The Hearts

Enzyme helps stem cells improve recovery from limb injuries

By Stem Cell Medicine

While it seems like restoring blood flow to an injured leg would be a good thing, it can actually cause additional damage that hinders recovery, researchers say.

Ischemia reperfusion injury affects nearly two million Americans annually with a wide variety of scenarios that temporarily impede blood flow -- from traumatic limb injuries, to heart attacks, to donor organs, said Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist at the Medical College of Georgia and College of Dental Medicine at Georgia Regents University.

Restoring blood flow actually heightens inflammation and cell death rather than recovery for many of these patients.

"Think about trying to hold onto a nuclear power plant after you unplug the electricity and cannot pump water to cool it down," said Dr. Jack Yu, Chief of MCG's Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. "All kinds of bad things start happening."

Baban and Yu are collaborators on a study published in the journal PLOS ONE that shows one way stem cell therapy appears to intervene is with the help of an enzyme also used by a fetus to escape rejection by the mother's immune system.

Earlier studies indicate stem cells may improve recovery both by enabling new blood vessel growth and by turning down the now-severe inflammation, Baban said. The new study shows that indoleomine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, widely known to dampen the immune response and create tolerance, plays an important role in regulating inflammation in that scenario. Stems cells and numerous other cell types are known to express IDO.

In fact, IDO boosted stem cell efficacy by about a third in their studies in animal models comparing the therapy in normal mice versus mice missing IDO. The researchers documented decreased expression of inflammatory markers, swelling and cell death, which correlate with a shorter, improved recovery.

That could be just what the doctor ordered for these patients, said Baban, the study's corresponding author. "We don't want to turn off the immune system, we want to turn it back to normal," he said.

Problems start with even a short period of inadequate blood and nutrients resulting in the rapid accumulation of destructive acidic metabolites, free radicals, and damage to cell structures, Yu said. Cell power plants, called mitochondria, which should be producing the energy source ATP, are among the early casualties, quickly becoming fat, leaky, and dysfunctional.

"The mitochondria are sick; they are very, very sick," Yu said. When blood flow is restored, it can put huge additional stress on sick powerhouses.

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Enzyme helps stem cells improve recovery from limb injuries

A Fetal Enzyme Helps Stem Cells Recover From Limb Injuries

By Stem Cell Medicine

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Nearly two million Americans a year suffer from ischemia reperfusion injuries. A wide variety of scenarios can be caused by these injuries that result in restricted blood flowfrom traumatic limb injuries, to heart attacks, to donor organs. Restoring the blood flow to an injured leg, for example, seems like it would be a good idea. A new study from Georgia Regents University, however, suggests that restoring the flow could cause additional damage that actually hinders recovery.

Rather than promoting recovery, restoring blood flow actually heightens inflammation and cell death for many of these patients.

Think about trying to hold onto a nuclear power plant after you unplug the electricity and cannot pump water to cool it down, said Dr. Jack Yu, Chief of MCGs Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. All kinds of bad things start happening.

Yu collaborated with Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist at the Medical College of Georgia and College of Dental Medicine at Georgia Regents University. Their study, published in PLOS ONE, reveals that one way stem cell therapy appears to intervene is with the help of an enzyme also used by a fetus to escape rejection by the mothers immune system.

Baban notes that previous studies have found a correlation between stem cells and recovery. The stem cells both enable new blood vessel growth and by turning down the now-severe inflammation. The new findings reveal that ndoleomine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, widely known to dampen the immune response and create tolerance, plays an important role in regulating inflammation in that scenario. IDO is expressed by stem cells and numerous other cell types.

Stem cell efficiency was boosted by approximately one-third when tested on animal models comparing the therapy in normal mice versus mice missing IDO.Decreased expression of inflammatory markers, swelling and cell death were all observed. These are all associated with shorter, improved recoveries.

We dont want to turn off the immune system, we want to turn it back to normal, Baban said.

Even a brief period of inadequate blood flow, and the resulting lack of nutrients, can start problems that result in the rapid accumulation of destructive acidic metabolites, free radicals, and damage to cell structures. Mitochondria, which are the cells power plants, should be producing the energy source ATP. Instead, they quickly become fat, leaky and dysfunctional in this situation.

The mitochondria are sick; they are very, very sick, Yu said. Enormous additional stress is added to these sick powerhouses when blood flow is restored.

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A Fetal Enzyme Helps Stem Cells Recover From Limb Injuries

CP Help Center Adds Latest On Stem Cell Therapy For Cerebral Palsy

By Stem Cell Medical Center

New York, NY (PRWEB) May 15, 2014

The birth injury patient advocates at CerebralPalsyHelp.org are alerting parents of children with cerebral palsy of new treatment information on the site. Doctors in Vietnam recently became the first to perform a stem cell transplant on a patient to treat cerebral palsy*.

The CP Help Center is a national advocacy center providing the latest on cerebral palsy treatment, clinical trials, resources and litigation news. Parents can learn more about their childs condition and how it may have been caused, get information on available assistance, and decide if they should seek legal advice.

Cerebral palsy affects muscle movement, coordination and posture. It is the leading cause of functional and developmental disability in children in the United States**, occurring in approximately 3.3 out of every 1,000 births, or around 10,000 infants per year**.

While CP affects muscle function, it is actually a neurological disorder caused by damage to parts of the brain that control muscle function***. This usually occurs before, during or after birth***.

Cerebral palsy may be caused by factors occurring to the fetus during pregnancy, or by trauma or asphyxiation during labor***. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cerebral palsy at this time. However, several treatment options are available to help those with the disorder reduce the effects***.

Now, the CP Help Center has learned that a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam recently performed the first ever stem cell transplant on a 13 month-old boy suffering from cerebral palsy*. Doctors there believe the procedure could have a 60-70% success rate on younger patients with average to severe forms of the disorder*.

Anyone whose child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy should learn more about how their condition was caused, or speak with a lawyer about their legal options. The CP Help Center only recommends lawyers who specialize in cerebral palsy lawsuits.

For more information on the research, treatment, causes and litigation news related to cerebral palsy, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.cerebralpalsyhelp.org today.

*Thanh Nien News, 4/15/14; thanhniennews.com/health/vietnam-uses-stem-cell-transplant-to-treat-cerebral-palsy-25228.html **National Institute of Health; ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm ***March of Dimes; marchofdimes.com/baby/cerebral-palsy.aspx

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CP Help Center Adds Latest On Stem Cell Therapy For Cerebral Palsy

Canyon News – $4 Million Gift Given For Medical Research

By Stem Cell Medical Center

$4 Million Gift Given For Medical Research Posted by Alex Nochez on May 15, 2014 - 5:48:54 AM

WESTWOODTwo gifts were bestowed to UCLA in the amount of $4 million on May 8.

Eli and Edythe Broad.

The donation from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is aimed at funding the Broad Stem Cell Research Center and the Division of Digestive Diseases, according to a statement from the school.

Two million dollars were given to the Broad Stem Cell Research Center to add to the $20 million already given to the center by The Broad Foundation since 2007. The gift will further the efforts of the center's Innovation Award program, which gives researchers seed funding that allows them to gain additional funding for their projects. Agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine have contributed grants to these projects, with the latter agency having given over $200 million so far.

The Broads' generous support has been essential to the development of new therapies that are currently in, or very near, clinical trials for treating blindness, sickle cell disease and cancer, said Director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center Dr. Owen Witte.

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Canyon News - $4 Million Gift Given For Medical Research

Lung Institute Becomes Major Provider in Tampa Bay

By Stem Cell Clinic

Tampa, Florida (PRWEB) May 15, 2014

On Tuesday, May 20, Lung Institute is celebrating the first anniversary of its Tampa location. As a leader in regenerative medicine, Lung Institute has provided over 250 treatments to lung disease patients who previously had no hope for better breathing and regaining quality of life. Lung Institute treats lung diseases including pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive disease that causes difficulty breathing, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Led by Dr. Burton Feinerman, a world-renowned physician in the field of regenerative medicine, Lung Institute has performed hundreds of minimally invasive, outpatient stem cell treatments on patients with a variety of debilitating lung diseases. Stem cells are taken from the patients own blood or fat tissue. The treatments cue healing processes in the lungs, allowing patients to get back to normal, everyday activities and breathe easier.

Patients from around the United States, and the world, have traveled to Tampa to receive treatment. Since inception, Lung Institute has more than doubled its staff, and is poised for growth going into its second year. An anniversary celebration is being held on Tuesday, May 20, with a grand-prize giveaway of a free venous stem cell treatment* for one winner.

We provide hope to our patients, and an improved quality of life, said Dr. Feinerman. Now for our first anniversary, we have the opportunity to change another persons life, by giving away a free venous treatment.

Join us for Lung Institutes first anniversary celebration: When: Tuesday, May 20, 4 p.m. 7 p.m. Where: Lung Institute, 201 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 425, Tampa, FL 33602 What: Lung Institutes first anniversary celebration, with refreshments and giveaways including the grand-prize giveaway of a free venous stem cell treatment*! RSVP: Please call 855-469-5864 to RSVP or to learn more.

About Lung Institute At Lung Institute (LI), we are changing the lives of hundreds of people across the nation through the innovative technology of regenerative medicine. We are committed to providing patients a more effective way to address pulmonary conditions and improve quality of life. Our physicians, through their designated practices, have gained worldwide recognition for the successful application of revolutionary minimally invasive stem cell therapies. With over a century of combined medical experience, our doctors have established a patient experience designed with the highest concern for patient safety and quality of care. For more information, visit our website at LungInstitute.com, like us on Facebook or call us today at 1-855-469-5864.

*One grand prize: Venous stem cell procedure for one winner. Winner must be deemed medically eligible, as determined solely by Lung Institute and a Lung Institute physician, in order to receive treatment. If winner is not determined medically eligible, the prize will go to another entrant. Must be present at event to win. No purchase necessary.

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Lung Institute Becomes Major Provider in Tampa Bay

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