Category Archives: Adult Stem Cells


Turning Back the Clock on ALS Cells Reveals New Mechanism – Technology Networks

At the current time, there is no cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Things may be about to change, however. Researchers at FAU and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have identified a protein that already displays pathological characteristics at an early stage of the neurological disease. The team has published their discovery, that could lead to a new approach for treating the disease, in the journal Acta Neuropathologica.

In summer 2014, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS for short, received a lot of attention through a social media campaign. In the ice bucket challenge, millions of people across the globe emptied a bucket of ice cold water over their heads to simulate a feeling of paralysis due to the extreme cold. In Germany, approximately 6,000 to 8,000 people are living with ALS, and approximately 2,000 new cases of the disease, that proves fatal within just a few years, are diagnosed every year. ALS is a motor neuron disease, that means it damages the nerve cells that control our muscles, explains Prof. Dr. Beate Winner. During the first phase, muscles become weaker, before wasting away and finally leaving patients unable to swallow or breathe independently. The social media campaign was used to raise money for research into ALS.

Beate Winner is a professor for stem cell models for rare neural diseases at FAU, head of the Department of Stem Cell Biology, and speaker for the Center for Rate Diseases at Universittsklinikum Erlangen. Her laboratory investigates what triggers neurodegenerative diseases of the nervous system such as ALS in the hope of discovering new treatment options as a result. We have known for roughly 15 years that during the end stage of ALS, the protein TDP-43 found in neurons becomes insoluble and starts to form clumps, explains Winner. It loses its normal functions and adopts toxic properties. Even though these pathological changes are not yet noticeable in patients, the fate of the nerve cells is already sealed. Winner continues, We wanted to know whether we could find causes for ALS at an early stage of development before the TDP-43 changes.

She started her quest together with Prof. Dr. Jrgen Winkler and PD Dr. Martin Regensburger from the Department of Molecular Neurology at Universittsklinikum Erlangen. The researchers used an innovative technique. They extracted a small skin sample from the upper arm of ALS patients and healthy people in a control group and reprogrammed it into what are known as induced pluripotent stem cells, cells that are equivalent to a very early stage of human development and that can in theory develop into any cell within the human body. These stem cells were then transformed into nerve cells. Basically, we turned the clock back and generated neurons imitating the developmental stage of a fetus, explains Winner. The fact that cells from adult people can be reprogrammed back into pluripotent stem cells was discovered by Shinya Yamanaka, who received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in recognition of his work.

The Erlangen researchers searched for insoluble proteins in the cell samples using mass spectrometry, a high-throughput procedure. They were successful. In the nerve cells of ALS patients they discovered an RNA-binding protein named NOVA1. In the neurons, the protein demonstrated changes including a greatly increased degree of insolvency, but not yet the typical pathological characteristics of TDP-43, explains Dr. Florian Krach, member of the FAU team and lead author of the study. The cells in the control group did not display these changes.

Armed with these findings, Krach moved to the laboratory of the renowned RNA biologist and bioinformatics specialist Prof. Gene Yeo at the University of California in San Diego (USA), funded by the Bavaria California Technology Center (BaCaTeC). Thanks to specialized experiments and computer-assisted analysis he was able to investigate what NOVA1 binds to in RNA molecules and what influence it has on alternative splicing in human neurons. Alternative splicing is an extremely complex and ingenious mechanism that humans use to multiply their repertoire of proteins, explains Krach. Sections of an RNA messenger molecule are either cut or added, thereby hindering, extending or changing the function of proteins altogether.

It has been known for some time that the alternative splicing process is unregulated in ALS patients. It is also known that TDP-43 influences this process. The team of researchers from Erlangen suspected, however, that other RNA-binding proteins are responsible for the pathological processes in early stages of the disease before TDP-43 changes. This suspicion has now been confirmed with the discovery of the impaired functioning of NOVA1.

We have made a pioneering discovery, but it is only one first step towards possibly being able to detect ALS in the early stages, says Beate Winner. Follow-up studies with larger cohorts could deepen our understanding of the importance of RNA-binding proteins. The researchers hope that their work will help contribute to developing new therapy concepts before neurons cross the point of no return.

Reference:Krach F, Wheeler EC, Regensburger M, et al. Aberrant NOVA1 function disrupts alternative splicing in early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol. 2022. doi:10.1007/s00401-022-02450-3

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Stem Cell Therapy Global Market Opportunities And Strategies To 2031 – Yahoo Finance

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provides the strategists; marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global stem cell therapy market as it emerges from the COVID 19 shut down. Description:

New York, July 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Stem Cell Therapy Global Market Opportunities And Strategies To 2031" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06291564/?utm_source=GNW Where is the largest and fastest growing market for stem cell therapy? How does the market relate to the overall economy; demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The stem cell therapy market global report answers all these questions and many more. The report covers market characteristics; size and growth; segmentation; regional and country breakdowns; competitive landscape; market shares; trends and strategies for this market.It traces the markets historic and forecast market growth by geography.

It places the market within the context of the wider stem cell therapy market; and compares it with other markets.

The report covers the following chapters Executive Summary The executive summary section of the report gives a brief overview and summary of the report. Report Structure This section gives the structure of the report and the information covered in the various sections. Introduction The introduction section of the report gives brief introduction about segmentation by geography, by type, by cell source, by end-user, and by application. Market Characteristics The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the stem cell therapy market. This section also defines and describes goods and related services covered in the report. Trends And Strategies This section describes the major trends shaping the global stem cell therapy market. This section highlights likely future developments in the market and suggests approaches companies can take to exploit these opportunities. Impact of COVID-19 This section describes the impact of COVID-19 on the stem cell therapy market. Global Market Size And Growth This section contains the global historic (2016-2021) and forecast (2021-2026), and (2026-2031) market values, and drivers and restraints that support and control the growth of the market in the historic and forecast periods. Regional Analysis This section contains the historic (2016-2021) and forecast (2021-2026, and 2026-2031) market values and growth and market share comparison by region. Segmentation This section contains the market values (2016-2031) and analysis for different segments. Regional Market Size and Growth This section contains the regions market size (2021), historic (2016-2021) and forecast (2021-2026, and 2026-2031) market values, and growth and market share comparison of countries within the region.This report includes information on all the regions Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa and major countries within each region.

The market overview sections of the report describe the current size of the market, background information, government initiatives, regulations, regulatory bodies, associations, corporate tax structure, investments, and major companies. Competitive Landscape This section covers details on the competitive landscape of the global stem cell therapy market, estimated market shares and company profiles for the leading players. Key Mergers And Acquisitions This section gives the information on recent mergers and acquisitions in the market covered in the report. This section gives key financial details of mergers and acquisitions which have shaped the market in recent years. Market Opportunities And Strategies This section includes market opportunities and strategies based on findings of the research.This section also gives information on growth opportunities across countries, segments and strategies to be followed in those markets.

It gives an understanding of where there is significant business to be gained by competitors in the next five years. Conclusions And Recommendations This section includes conclusions and recommendations based on findings of the research. This section also gives recommendations for stem cell therapy providers in terms of product/service offerings, geographic expansion, marketing strategies and target groups. Appendix This section includes details on the NAICS codes covered, abbreviations and currencies codes used in this report.

Scope Markets Covered: 1) By Type: Allogeneic Stem Cell Therapy; Autologous Stem Cell Therapy 2) By Cell Source: Adult Stem Cells; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Embryonic Stem Cells 3) By Application: Musculoskeletal Disorders and Wounds & Injuries; Cancer; Autoimmune Disorders; Others 4) By End-Users: Hospitals And Clinics; Research Centers; Others

Companies Mentioned: Smith & Nephew Plc; Fujifilm Holding Corporation; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Takara Bio Inc; MEDIPOST Co., Ltd.

Countries: China; Australia; India; Indonesia; Japan; South Korea; USA; Brazil; France; Germany; UK; Russia

Regions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa

Time series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.

Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets; GDP proportions; expenditure per capita; stem cell therapy indicators comparison.

Data segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data; market share of competitors; market segments.

Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.

Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12 geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high-quality data and analysis. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06291564/?utm_source=GNW

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Confocal Microscope Market 2022 Analysis Trend, Applications, Growth, and Forecast to 2030 | Save 30% on this report – Taiwan News

Global Confocal Microscope Market is valued at approximately USD $million in 2021 and is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 4.5% over the forecast period 2022-2028.

The confocal microscope is a type of widefield fluorescence+ microscopy that produces high-resolution pictures of materials stained with fluorescent probes. Due to their tremendous benefits in image resolution, commercially made laser scanning confocal microscopes have achieved enormous popularity across the world. Because it allows photographs to be free of out-of-focus information, the method has acquired significant adoption in molecular imaging.

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Rising incidences of Microbial Keratitis and rising demand for Confocal Microscopy in the diagnosis of ophthalmic conditions have led to the adoption of Confocal Microscopes across the forecast period. In 2017, the Indian Department of Biotechnology published a guideline for stem cell and regenerative medicine that includes fundamental biology of all adult stem cells, early and late translational research, and the development of gene editing technologies for therapeutic applications.

Furthermore, growing number of collaborations among several prominent players to develop new and high-end products, propel the market opportunities for upcoming years. A partnership between India and Japan has been developed to assist stem cell and regenerative medicine research. Indian researchers will receive training at Kyoto Universitys Center for iPS Cell Research and Applications (CiRA). However, high price of Microscopes and lack of skilled professionals impede the growth of the market over the forecast period of 2022-2028.

The key regions considered for the global Confocal Microscope Market study include Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and Rest of the World. North America is leading the market share globally owing to factors such as huge investment in the research and development activities and rising prevalence of eye diseases. However, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region due to rising demand for diagnostic centers and increasing number of healthcare facilities.

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Major market players included in this report are:

The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and Application offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:

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By Type:

Multi-Photon Microscopy

Confocal Disk Spinning

By End-user:

Hospitals

Diagnostic Laboratories

Academics & Research Institute

By Region:

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

UK

Germany

France

Spain

Italy

ROE

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia

South Korea

RoAPAC

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of the World

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BreakPoint: Is aging a ‘disease’ and other bioethical questions for Christians – Chattanooga Times Free Press

According to the writer of Proverbs, "death and life are in the power of the tongue." So is cultural change, which most often comes with efforts to change language use and the definitions of words. For example, Harvard Medical molecular biologist David Sinclair is combining innovation in the lab with innovation in language. In a recent CNN article, one of Sinclair's financial backers described the goal of his research as changing the definition of the word "aging." He wants to "make aging a disease."

Sinclair claims to have successfully interrupted the aging process in mice by turning adult cells back into stem cells. Some animals are designed with a similar capability, albeit in a more limited way think, for example, of an octopus regrowing a leg that has been cut off. Using that same idea, what Sinclair calls an "ancient regeneration system," he hopes to regenerate cells that deteriorate with age. Already, he has been able to repair ocular cells in older mice, allowing them to recover their "youthful" eyesight.

His ultimate aim, of course, is to develop anti-aging therapies for humans. Though some concern has been directed toward the safety of Sinclair's process, what goes largely unquestioned in media coverage is Sinclair's chief aim. In other words, as so much medical ethics goes these days, if we can do it, then we should.

Medical ethics from a Christian worldview perspective is not that simple.

Whenever Christians can affirm aspects of work like David Sinclair's, which attempts to overcome the consequences of the fall, we should. The Bible teaches that death is an enemy, and that humans were not made to die. And humans should recognize that the ingenuity and passion for exploration that often inspires medical progress are God-given.

To accuse people like Sinclair of "playing God," as if that were an insult, is not helpful. After all, according to Genesis 1 and 2, human beings were created by God to, in a sense, "play God." We are not to pretend that we are God, of course, but he did gift us with the ability to work alongside him to accomplish his purposes for the world he made. After the fall, he promises to eventually restore his creation, so our work alongside him continues. The mandate to build and create, tending the garden of his world, is to be done within the moral limits that reflect his character and how he created the world.

Within this framework, causing or hastening death is a great evil, but so can be attempts to avoid death "at all costs." Jesus' own death was an act of unprecedented evil but also only fully understood in the context of his obedience to the Father's will. Jesus lay down his life, and many Christians have followed in his footsteps. Thus, there are certain moral goods such as the will of God that are higher than avoiding death.

Keeping these sorts of things straight is essential to ethically pursuing and employing technologies, like those that promise to "reverse aging." In his book "Bioethics: A Primer for Christians," bioethicist and theologian Gilbert Meilaender counsels Christians to view the freedom to pursue medical progress not as freedom from restraints, such as death. Instead, we should consider ourselves free to work alongside God imitating him on the path he set out for human flourishing. This will mean, very often in fact, not doing (as God described the men who built the tower of Babel) "whatever comes into our minds to do."

Meilaender counsels Christians to fight the temptation to use medicine not merely as a way to care for our bodies but from the desire to control them. If the chief end of medical research and practice is to live on our own terms, we will inevitably make moral compromises along the way. It was the serpent who promised Eve that she could live as she wished but evade death, which was not only a lie but not sufficient justification for attempting to usurp the authority that only belongs to God.

The goal of medical research and practice should be to help people flourish in the bodies, times, places and limits that God has given us. From this beginning, Meilaender suggests that the "principle" which should "govern Christian compassion" is not to "minimize suffering," but to "maximize care."

Our purpose is not to avoid suffering or even death at all costs despite that they are effects of the fall we are called to oppose. Rather, we take into account that in God's mercy, even our suffering can be redeemed for good. We lament the hard realities of our fallen world, and we seek to understand them within the larger context of creation and resurrection. Thus, we know that death is not the end of life, nor is life only a prerequisite to death.

From BreakPoint, July 8, 2022; reprinted by permission of the Colson Center, breakpoint.org.

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BreakPoint: Is aging a 'disease' and other bioethical questions for Christians - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Stem Cell Assays Market Report 2022-2027: Government Initiatives to Boost Stem Cell Research Present Opportunities – PR Newswire

DUBLIN, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Stem Cell Assays Market by Type (Viability, Proliferation, Differentiation, Apoptosis), Cell Type (Mesenchymal, iPSCs, HSCs, hESCs), Product & Service (Instrument), Application (Regenerative Medicine, Clinical Research), End User - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The stem cell assay market is projected to reach USD 4.5 Billion by 2027 from USD 1.9 Billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 17.7% during the forecast period.

The growth of the market is projected to be driven by collaborations and agreements among market players for stem cell assay products & services, the launch of new stem cell analysis systems such as flow cytometers, and increase in R&D expenditure by biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The viability/cytotoxicity assays accounted for the largest share of the type segment in the stem cell assays market in 2021 Cell viability assays help to determine the number of live and dead cells in a culture medium. The viability/cytotoxicity assays include various types such as tetrazolium reduction assays, resazurin cell viability assays, calcein-AM cell viability assays, and other viability/cytotoxicity assays. The cell viability/cytotoxicity market is likely to be driven by rising R&D spending on stem cell research, an increase in demand for stem cell assays in drug discovery, and development of new stem cell therapies..

The adult stem cells segment accounted for the largest share of the cell type segment in the stem cell assays market in 2021. Adult stem cells account for the largest share of the stem cell assay market. The adult stem cells include mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells, and neural stem cells. The growth of the adult stems cells segment is driven by the increasing usage of adult stem cells in regenerative medicine and the development of advanced therapies.

Asia Pacific: The fastest-growing region in the stem cell assays market The Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment of the market, owing to the rising prevalence of cancer & other diseases, increasing R&D spending on biopharmaceutical projects, and focus on developing stem cell-based therapies. In this region, China and Japan are the largest markets.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights 4.1 Stem Cell Assays Market Overview 4.2 North America: Stem Cell Assays Market, by Product & Service and Country (2021) 4.3 Stem Cell Assays Market Share, by Type, 2022 Vs. 2027 4.4 Stem Cell Assays Market Share, by Application, 2021 4.5 Stem Cell Assays Market: Geographic Growth Opportunities

5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Increasing Awareness About Therapeutic Potency of Stem Cells 5.2.1.2 Increasing Funding for Stem Cell Research 5.2.1.3 Rising Demand for Cell-Based Assays in Drug Discovery 5.2.1.4 Collaborations and Agreements Among Market Players for Stem Cell Assay Products & Services 5.2.1.5 Rising Incidence of Cancer 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Issues in Embryonic Stem Cell Research 5.2.2.2 High Cost of Stem Cell Analysis Instruments 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Emerging Economies 5.2.3.2 Government Initiatives to Boost Stem Cell Research 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Lack of Infrastructure for Stem Cell Research in Emerging Economies 5.2.4.2 Dearth of Trained and Skilled Professionals 5.3 Ranges/Scenarios 5.4 Impact of COVID-19 on Stem Cell Assays Market 5.5 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customers' Business 5.6 Pricing Analysis 5.6.1 Average Selling Prices of Products Offered by Key Players 5.6.2 Average Selling Price Trend 5.7 Technology Analysis

6 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Viability/Cytotoxicity Assays 6.3 Isolation & Purification Assays 6.4 Cell Identification Assays 6.5 Proliferation Assays 6.6 Differentiation Assays 6.7 Function Assays 6.8 Apoptosis Assays

7 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Cell Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Adult Stem Cells 7.3 Human Embryonic Stem Cells

8 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Product & Service 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Instruments 8.3 Kits 8.4 Services

9 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Application 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Regenerative Medicine & Therapy Development 9.3 Drug Discovery & Development 9.4 Clinical Research

10 Stem Cell Assays Market, by End-User

11 Stem Cell Assays Market, by Region

12 Competitive Landscape

13 Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned

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Stem Cell Assays Market Report 2022-2027: Government Initiatives to Boost Stem Cell Research Present Opportunities - PR Newswire

PROMISING STEM CELL THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIV & AIDS | BTT – Dove Medical Press

Introduction

Stem cells are highly specialized cell types with an impressive ability to self-renew, able to transform into one or even more specific cell types that play a significant role in the regulation and tissue healing process.17 To self-renew, a stem divides into two identical daughter stem cells and a progenitor cell and the embryonic and adult cells contain stem cells.1,2,8

Curing patients with serious medical conditions has been the focus of all disciplines of medical research for many years. Stem cell treatment has evolved into a highly exciting and progressed field of scientific research. Major advances have recently been introduced in fundamental and translational stem-cell-based treatment studies. As stem cell research progressed, many therapeutic options were investigated. The development of therapeutic procedures has sparked a great deal of interest.1,9 Humanity has known for many years that it is possible to regenerate lost tissue. Recently, the regenerative medicine research has taken hold, defying the tremendous scientific advances in the molecular biology sciences only. Technological advances provide limitless opportunities for transformational and potentially restorative therapies for many of humanitys most illnesses. A variety of human organs have successfully yielded stem cells. Besides this, the cell therapy is rapidly bringing good advancements in the healthcare system, intending to restore and possibly replace injured tissue, as well as organs, and ultimately restore the functional capacity of the body.2,10,11

The stem cells can be obtained from various sources of Adult (Adult body tissues), Embryonic (Embryos), Mesenchyma (Connective tissue or stroma), and Induced pluripotent stem [ips] cells (Skin cells or tissue-specific cells).3,68,1215

Due to various stem cells cellular characteristics, the therapeutic clinical possibilities of stem-cell-based treatment are considered promising. These cells can regrow and restore various types of body tissues, for this reason, they are recognized as precursor cells to all kinds of cells.15 The following are the distinguishing features: 1. Self-renewal- Divide without distinction to generate an infinite supply, 2. Multi-potency- One mature cell may distinguish more than one, 3. Pluripotency- Create all sorts of cells except for embryonic membrane cells, 4. Toti- potency- Produce various sorts of cells, including embryonic stem cells.1,2,6,7,16

Stem cells are essential human cells that really can self-renew and make a distinction into particular mature cell types.3,6 The different types of stem cells are embryonic, induced pluripotent, and adult kind of cell types. They all share the important feature of self-renewal, and the ability to discern themselves. It should be mentioned that, the stem cells are not homogeneous, but instead appear in a progressive order. Totipotent stem cells are the most basic and immature stem cells. The above cells can form a complete embryo and also extra-embryonic tissue. This one-of-a-kind efficiency is only present for a short period, starting with ovum development and completing whenever the embryo achieves the 4 to 8 cell phases. Having followed that, cells that divide until they approach the blastocyst, about which point they end up losing their totipotency and acquire a pluripotent character trait, at which cells can only distinguish through each embryonic germ stack. After a few divisions, the pluripotency character trait starts to fade and the distinguishing ability has become more lineage constrained, where its cells are becoming multipotent, indicating they could only transform into the cells connected to a cell or tissue of origin.10 Many researchers believe that adult stem cells should be used in stem cell therapies.6,17

The stem cells can be transformed into a wide range of specialized functional cell types.3,18 In response to injury or maturation, those same stem cells can propagate in massive quantities.19 Adult, embryonic, and induced pluripotent stem cells are examples of stem cell-based therapies.14,15,1921 The stem cells, due to their capability to distinguish the specific cell types requisite for a diseased tissue regeneration, can provide an effective solution, while tissue and organ transplantation are considered necessary.10 The sophistication of stem cell-based treatment interventions, on the other hand, probably leads researchers to seek stable, credible, and readily available stem cell sources capable of converting into numerous lineages. As an outcome, it is critical to exercise caution when selecting the type of stem cells to be used in therapeutic trials.12,14,22

Only with the explosive growth of basic stem cell research in recent years, the comparatively recent study sector of Translational Research had also grown exponentially, starting to build on major research knowledge and insight to advance new therapies. Once the necessary regulatory clearances have been obtained, the clinical translation process can start. Translational research is important because it acts as a filtration system, ensuring that only safe and effective therapeutic approaches start making it to the clinic.23 Recent research illustrating, the successful application of stem cell transplantation to patient populations suggests that, such restorative approaches have been used to address a wide variety of complicated ailments of future concerns.19,24

Currently, clinical trials are available for a variety of stem cell-based treatments based on adult stem cells. To date, the WHO International Clinical Experiments Registration process has recorded more than 3000 experiments involved based on adult stem cells. Furthermore, preliminary trials involving novel and intriguing pluripotent stem cell therapies have been registered. These studies findings will assist the ability to comprehend and the timeframes required to obtain effective treatments and it will contribute to a better knowledge of the different disorders or abnormalities.10

The role of stem cells in modern medicine is vital, both for their widespread application in basic research and for the opportunities they provide for developing new therapeutic strategies in clinical practice.6,16 In recent times, the number of studies involving stem cells has expanded tremendously. Globally, thousands of studies claiming to use stem cells in experimental therapies have now been in the investigation field. This may give the impression that such treatments have already been shown to be extremely effective in the context of healthcare. Despite some promising results, the vast majority of stem cell-based therapeutic applications are still in the experimental stage itself.6,25

The stem cells are a valuable resource for understanding organogenesis as well as the bodys continual regenerative capacity. These cells have brought up enormous anticipations among doctors, investigators, patients, and the public at large because of their ability to distinguish into a variety of cell types.25 These cells are necessary for living beings for a variety of reasons and can play a distinguishable role. Several stem cells can play all cell types roles, and when stimulated effectively, they can also repair damaged tissue. This capability has the potential to save lives as well as treat human injuries and tissue destruction. Moreover, different kinds of stem cells could be used for several purposes, including tissue formation, cell deficiency therapeutic interventions, and stem cell donation or retrieval.3,6,26

New research demonstrating that the successful application of stem cell treatments to patients has expressed hope that such regenerative strategies might very well one day is being used to address a wide variety of problematic ailments. Furthermore, clinical trials incorporating stem cell-based therapeutics have advanced at an alarming rate in recent years. Some of these studies had a significant impact on a wide range of medical conditions.10 As a regenerative medicine strategy, cell-based treatment is widely regarded as the most fascinating field of study in advanced science and medicine. Such technological innovation paves the way for an infinite number of transformational and potentially curable solutions to some of humanitys most pressing survival issues. Moreover, it is gradually becoming the next major concern in medical services.11

Modern data, which shows that the successful stem cell transplantation in beneficiaries has raised hopes on the certain rejuvenating approaches, will one day be used to treat many different types of challenging chronic conditions.24 Preliminary data from highly innovative investigations have documented that the prospective advancement of stem cells provides a wide range of life-threatening ailments that have so far eluded current medical therapy.2,10,11 Furthermore, clinical trials involving stem cell-based therapies have advanced at an unprecedented rate. Many of these studies had a significant impact on various disorders.19 Despite the increasing significance of articles concerning viable stem cell-based treatments, the vast majority of clinical experiments have still yet to receive full authorization for stem cell treatments confirmation.11,12,27

Even though the first case of AIDS were noted nearly 27 years ago, and the etiologic agent was noticed 25 years ago, still for the effective control of the AIDS pandemic continues to remain elusive.28 The HIV epidemic started in 1981 when a new virus syndrome defined by a weakened immune system was revealed in human populations across the globe. AIDS showed up to have a substantial reduction in CD4+ cell counts and also elevated B-cell multiplication.15,2831

The agent that causes AIDS, later named HIV, is a retroviral disease with a genomic structural system made up of 2 identical single-stranded RNA particles.3234 According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, with over 1.1 million Americans are presently infected with the virus.31 Compromised immune processes in HIV and AIDS, as well as partial immune restoration, barriers are confirmed for HIV disease eradication. Innovative developmental strategies are essential to maximizing virus protection and enabling the host immune response to eliminate the virus.35

The progression of HIV infection in humans is divided into the following stages of acute infection, chronic infection, and AIDS.15,36 During the acute infection phase, the circulation has a high viral replication, is extremely infectious, that may or may not demonstrate flu-like clinical signs. In the chronic stage, the viral load is lesser than in the acute stage, and individuals are still infectious but may be symptomless. The patient has come to the end stage of AIDS whenever the CD4+ cell count begins to fall below 200 cells/mm or even when opportunistic infections are advanced.15,36

There are currently two types of HIV isolated HIV-1 and HIV-2.15,37,38 However, HIV-1 is the most common cause of AIDS throughout the world, while HIV-2 is only found in a few areas of an African country. Although both virions can cause AIDS, HIV-2 infection is much more likely to occur in central nervous system disorder.15 Besides this, HIV-2 seems to be less infectious than HIV-1, and HIV-2 infection induces AIDS to develop more slowly. Even though both HIV-1 and HIV-2 have a comparable genetic structure comprised of group-specific antigen, polymerase, and envelope genes, their genome organizational structures are differed.15,3739

HIV infiltrates immune cell types, CD4+ T cell types, and monocytes, resulting in a drop in T-cell counts below a critical level and the failure of cell-mediated immune function.15,40 The glycoprotein (gp120) observed in the virion envelope comes into contact with the CD4 particle with high affinity, allowing HIV to infect T cells. By interacting with their co-receptors, CXCR4 and CCR5, the virus infiltrates T cells and monocytes. The retrovirus uses reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA after attaching it to and entering the host cell. These newly replicated DNA copies then exit the host cell and infect other cells.15,40,41

HIV-1 is a retrovirus and belongs to a subset of retroviruses known as lentiviruses.38,42 Infection is the most common global health concern around the world.15 It has destroyed the millions of peoples health and continues to wreak havoc on the individual health of millions more. The pandemic of HIV-1 is the most devastating plague in the history of humans, as well as a significant challenge in the areas of medicine, public health, and biological science of research activities.34,43 Antiretroviral therapy is the only treatment that is commonly used. This is not a curative treatment; it must be used for the rest of ones life.15 Although antiretroviral therapy has reduced significantly HIV intensity and transmission, the virus has not been eradicated, and its continued presence can lead to additional health issues.44

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus necessitates entry into target cells, such as through adhesion of the viral envelope to CD4 receptor sites.43 Cellular antiviral responses fail to eliminate the virus, resulting in a gradual depletion of CD4+ T cells and, finally, a severely compromised immune functioning system. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the virus that destroys immunity.4447 In advanced HIV infection, memory T-cell depletion primarily affects cellular and adaptive immune responses, with a minor impact on innate immune responses.48 Globally, 37.7 million people were living with HIV in 2020, and with 1.5 million individuals are infected with the virus.49 The advancement of stem cell therapy and the conduct of implemented clinical trials have revealed that stem cell treatment has high hopes for a range of medical conditions and implementations.15

Stem cell treatment has shown impressive outcomes in HIV management and has the potential to have significant implications for HIV treatment and prevention in the future. In HIV patients, stem cell therapy helps to suppress the viral load even while enabling antiretroviral regimens to be tapered. Interestingly, this practice led to a significant improvement in procedure outcomes soon after starting antiretroviral treatment.15 Stem cell transplantation can alleviate a wide variety of diseases that are currently incurable. They could also be used to create a novel anti-infection therapy strategic plan and to enhance the treatment of immunologic conditions such as HIV infection. HIV wreaks havoc on immune system cells.30,50

The virus infects and replicates within T-helper cells (T-cells), which are white immune system cells. T-cells are also referred to as CD4 cells. HIV weakens a persons immune system over time by pulverizing more CD4 cells and multiplying itself. More pertinently, if the individual has been unable to obtain anti-retroviral medicine, he will progressively fail to control the infectious disease and illnesses.3,15,42

Despite 36 years of scientific research, investigators are still trying to cure human HIV and its potential problem, AIDS.3,5153 HIV continues to face unconquerable dangers to human survival. This virus has developed the potential to avoid anti-retroviral therapy and tends to result in victim death.52 Investigators are still looking for effective and all-encompassing treatment for HIV and its complexity, AIDS.54 This massive amount of data revealed potential AIDS treatment targets.55 Thousands of research projects have yielded a great deal of information on the elusive AIDS life cycle to date.5456 These massive amounts of data supplied possible targets for AIDS treatment.33,55,56 In HIV-infected patients, using stem cell therapy can augment the process of keeping the viral load stagnant by permitting antiretroviral regimens to be tapered.15

Overall, stem cell-based strategies for HIV and AIDS treatment have recently emerged and have become a key area of research. Ideally, effective stem cell-based therapeutic approaches might have several benefits.30 Clinical studies encompassing stem cell therapy have shown substantial therapeutic effects in the treatment of various autoimmune, degenerative, and genetic problems.15,25 Substantial progress has been developed in the treatment of HIV infection using stem cell-based techniques.30

Successfully treated, clinical studies have shown that total tissue recovery is feasible.15,57 In the early 1980s, the first stem cell transplants were accomplished on HIV-positive patients who were unsure of their viral disease. Following the above preliminary aspects, many HIV-positive patients with concurrent malignant tumours or other hematologic disorders underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation around the world.42 After ART became a common treatment option for patients,58,59 the procedures prognosis improved dramatically. In addition, a retrospective study of 111 HIV+ transplant patients demonstrated a mildly lower overall survivorship performance in comparison to an HIV-uninfected comparison group.60

Earlier, the primary problem for people living with HIV and AIDS was immunodeficiency caused by a loss of productive T-cells. Some clinicians intended to replenish lost lymphocytes through adoptive cell transplants in the initial days before efficacious antiretroviral therapy options were available. Immunologically, it is relatively simple in an isogeneic condition, as illustrated on HIV-positive individuals with just a correlating identical twin who received T-lymphocytes and stem cell transfusions to rebuild the weak immune status of the patient.60 Cell therapy transfusion may be used to remove resting virion genomes from CD4+ immune cells and macrophages mostly through genome-editing or cytotoxic anti-viral cells.15,60 Cell technology and stem cell biological reprogramming developments have made a significant contribution to novel strategies that may give confidence to HIV healing process.3 However, human embryonic stem cells can be distinguished into significant HIV target cells, according to several research findings.30,61,62

Initially, stem cell transplantation was believed to influence the clinical significance of HIV infection, but viral regulation was not accomplished in the discipline. Moreover, improvements in stem cell transplants utilizing synthetic or natural resistant cell resources, in combination with novel genetic manipulative tactics or the advancement of cytotoxic anti-HIV effector cells, have significantly accelerated this sector of HIV cell management.60 Multiple techniques are being introduced to overcome HIV, either through protecting cells from infectious disease or by continuing to increase immune responses to the viral infection.30 The various methods are as follows: Bone marrow stem cells Therapies, Autologous stem cell transplantations, Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Genetical modifications of Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCT), HSCT and HAART therapeutic approach, Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) applications, CCR5 Delta32/Delta32 Stem-Cell Transplantation, CRISPR and stem cell applications, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells applications.

According to the findings, circulating replicative HIV remains the most significant threat to effective AIDS therapy. As a result, a method for conferring resistance to circulating HIV particles is required. The effective viral burden in the human body would be significantly reduced if it were possible to defeat reproducing HIV particles.43,44 For the treatment of AIDS, a restorative approach that relies on bone marrow stem cells has been suggested.52 The proposed treatment method captures and eventually destroys circulating HIVs using receptor-integrated red blood cells. Red blood cell membranes can be equipped with the CD4 receptor and the C-C chemokine receptor type 5 and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 co-receptors, which will selectively bind circulating HIV particles.15,30,32,33,43,44,46,6365

The term autologous pertains to blood-forming stem cells obtained from the patient for use as a source of fresh blood cells followed by high-dose chemotherapeutic agents.66 Lymphoma is still the biggest cause of mortality in HIV patients. Autologous stem cell recovery or transplantation with high-dose treatments has long been supported as a treatment for certain types of cancer in HIV-negative patients, including leukaemia and lymphoma. Individuals over the age of 65, as well as those with health problems such as HIV, were excluded from initial transfusion experiments. Moreover, the treatment regimen mortality of transplantation has also been reduced significantly due to its use of peripheral blood stem cells rather than bone marrow and the use of newer marginal conditioning therapeutic strategies. HIV-infected clients may be able to utilize enough stem cells for an autologous transplant advancement in HIV management. High-dose Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) treatments are better than conventional treatment in people with relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to randomized trial evidence. Similarly, studies on HIV-negative people with Hodgkin Lymphoma have shown that ASCT would provide patients with repetitive illness with long-term progression-free survival.66,67 Even so, the clinical trial on Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for HIV Patients with Hematologic Malignancies report was explained as, the cell-associated HIV DNA and inducible infectious virus were not detectable in the blood of patients who attained complete chimerism.68

The study on long-term multilineage engraftment of autologous genome-edited hematopoietic stem cells in nonhuman primates report findings was Genome editing in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) is a potential innovative approach for the treatment of numerous human disorders. This report shows that genome-edited HSPCs engraft and contribute to multilineage repopulation following autologous transplantation in a clinically relevant large animal model, which is an important step toward developing stem cell-based genome-editing therapeutics for HIV and possibly other illnesses.69

Research on comprehensive virologic and immune interpretation in an HIV-infected participant again just after allogeneic transfusion and analytical interruption of antiretroviral treatment findings are the instance of HIV-1 cure having followed allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), resulting allo-SCTs in HIV-1 positive participants have failed to cure the disease. It describes adjustments in the HIV reservoir in a single chronically HIV-infected client who had undergone allo-SCT for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treatment and was obtaining suppressive antiretroviral treatment.

To estimate the size of the HIV-1 reservoir and describe viral phylogenetic and phenotypic modifications in immune cells, the investigators just used leukapheresis to obtain peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a 55-year-old man with chronic HIV infection prior and after allo-SCT. Once HIV-1 was found to be unrecognizable by numerous tests, including the PCR measurement techniques both of overall and fully integrated HIV-1 DNA, recompilation virus precise measurement by significant cell input quantifiable viral outgrowth assay, and in situ hybridization of intestine tissue, the client accepted to an analytic treatment interruption (ATI) with recurrent clinical observing on day 784 post-transplantation. He continued to remain aviremic off ART until ATI day 288, once a reduced virus rebound of 60 HIV-1 copies/mL resulted, which expanded to 1640 HIV-1 copies/mL five days later, urging ART reinitiation. Rebounding serum HIV-1 action sequences were phylogenetically distinguishable from pro-viral HIV-1 DNA discovered in circulating PBMCs before transplantation. It was indicated that allo-SCT tends to result in significant reductions in the magnitude of the HIV-1 reservoir and a >9-month ART-free cessation from HIV-1 multiplication.34

The Impact of HIV Infection on Transplant Outcomes after Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Study of Japanese Registry Data reported as ASCT is a successful treatment option for HIV-positive patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma (MM). HIV infection was associated with an increased risk of overall mortality and relapse after ASCT for NHL in a study population.70

The procedure of delivering hematopoietic stem cells mostly through intravenous infusion to restore normal haematopoiesis or treat cancer is known as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.71 There has recently been a rise in the desire to develop strategies for treating HIV/AIDS diseases employing human hematopoietic stem cells,30 along with this Hutter and Zaia were evaluated the background of Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in HIV-infected individuals.42

Attempts to use HSCT as a technique for immunologic restoration in AIDS patients or as a therapeutic intervention for malignant tumours were initially insufficient. Regretfully, in the absence of sufficient ART, HSCT seemed to have no impact on the evolution of HIV infection, and the majority of the patients ended up dead of rapidly deteriorating immunosuppression or reoccurring lymphoma or leukaemia. A specific instance report described how an un-associated, matched donor supplied allogeneic HSCT to a patient with refractory lymphoma. The virus was unrecognizable by isolating or PCR of peripheral blood mononuclear cells commencing on day 32 after transplantation. Although HIV-1 was unrecognizable by cultural environment or PCR of several tissues examined at mortem, the patient died of recurring lymphoma on day 47. Another client who obtained both allogeneic HSCT and zidovudine had similar results, with HIV-1 becoming unnoticeable in the blood by PCR analysis. In some other particular instances, a 25-year-old woman with AIDS who obtained an allogeneic HSCT from a corresponding, unfamiliar donor after controlling with busulfan and cyclophosphamide and ART with zidovudine and IFN-2 regimen continued to live for 10 months before falling victim to adult respiratory distress. However, PCR testing of autopsy tissues revealed that they were HIV-1 negative.72

Recent research discovered significant progress towards the clinical application of stem cell-based HIV therapeutic interventions, principally illustrating the opportunity to effectively undertake a large-scale phase two HSC-based gene therapy experiment. In this investigation, the research team used autologous adult HSCs that had been transduced to a retroviral vector that usually contains a tat-vpr-specific anti-HIV ribozyme to develop cells that were less vulnerable to productive infection,73 whereas vector-containing cells have been discovered for extended periods (more than 100 weeks in most people) and CD4+ T cell gets counted were significantly high within anti-HIV ribozyme treating people group compared with the placebo group, the impacts on viral loads were minimal. The studys success, even so, is based on the realization that a stem cell-based strategy like this is being used as a more conventional and efficacious therapeutic approach.30 Some other latest clinical studies used a multi-pronged RNA-based strategic plan which included a CCR5-targeted ribozyme, an shRNA targeting tat/rev transcripts, and a TAR segment decoy.74

These crucial research findings are explained on lentiviral-based gene therapy vectors that can genetically manipulate both dividing and non-dividing HSCs and are less likely to cause cellular changes than murine retro-viral-based vectors. Long-term engraftment and multipotential haematopoiesis have been demonstrated in vector-containing and expressing cells, according to the researchers. Whereas the antiviral effectiveness was not reviewed, the results demonstrate the strategys protection, which helps to expand well for the possibility of a lentiviral-based approach in the upcoming years.30

A further approach, with a different emphasis, has been started up in the hopes of trying to direct immune function to target specific HIV to overcome barriers to attempting to clear the virus from the patient's body. These strategies use gene treatment innovations on peripheral blood cells to biologically modify cells so that they assert a receptor or chimeric particle that enables them to especially target a specific viral antigen,75 deception of HIV-infected peoples peripheral blood T cells raises issues to be addressed, such as the effects of ongoing HIV infection and ex vivo modification on the capabilities and lifetime of peripheral blood cells. Further to that, the above genetically manipulated cells would demonstrate their endogenous T cell receptors, and the representation of the newly introduced receptor could outcome in cross-receptor pairing, resulting in self-reactive T cells. Most of these deficiencies could be countered by enabling specific developmental strategies to take place that can start generating huge numbers of HIV-specific cells in a renewable, consistent way that can restore defective natural immune activity against HIV.30

One strategy being recognized is the application of B cells obtained from HSCs to demonstrate anti-HIV neutralizing specific antibodies. While animal studies have shown that neutralizing antibodies could protect against infection, and extensively neutralizing antibodies have been noticed in some HIV-infected persons, safety from a single engineered antibody might be exceptional.76,77 Realizing antibody binding and virus neutralization may assist in the development of chimeric receptors or single-chain therapeutic antibodies with recognition domains for other techniques that identify cellular immunity against HIV-infected cells.78,79 Thereby, genetically modifying HSCs to generate B cells that produce neutralizing anti-HIV specific antibodies, or engineering HSCs to enable multipotential haematopoiesis of cells that express a chimeric cellular receptor usually contains an antibody recognition domain, indicate one arm of an HSC-based engineered immunity process.30

A further technique of using HSCs that were genetically altered with molecularly cloned T-cell receptors or chimeric molecules particular to HIV to yield antigen-specific T cells. The basic difference in this strategy is that the cells produced from HSCs after standard advancement in the bone marrow and thymus are made subject to normal central tolerance modalities and are antigen-specific naive cells, and therefore do not have the ex-vivo manipulation and impaired functioning or exhaustion problems that other external cell modification methods would have. In this context, the latest actual evidence research using a molecularly cloned T cell receptor particular to an HIV-1 Gag epitope in the aspect of HLA-A*0201 revealed that HSC altered in this ability can progress into fully functioning, mature HIV specialized CD8+ T cells in human thymic tissue that conveys the acceptable constrained HLA-A*0201 particles.80 This explores the possibility of genetically engineering HSCs with a molecularly cloned receptor and signifies a step toward a better understanding and application of initiated T cell responses, which would probably result in the eradication of HIV infection from the body, similar to the natural immune function of other virus infections and pathogenic organisms.30

In an allogeneic transplantation, donor stem cells replace the patients cells.66 Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has appeared as one of the most potent treatment possibilities for many people who suffer from hemopoietic system carcinomas and non-malignant ailments.81 Both HIV-cured people have received HSCT utilizing CCR5 132 donor cells.82,83 This implies that HIV eradication necessitates a decrease in the viral reservoir through the myeloablative procedures,8486 Having followed that, immune rebuilding with HIV-resistant cells was carried out to prevent re-infection.45 The possibility of adoptive transfer of ex vivo-grown, virus-specific T-cells to prevent and control infectious diseases (eg, Cytomegalovirus and EBV) in immunocompromised patients helps to make adoptive T-cell treatment a feasible strategy to inhibit HIV rebound having followed HSCT.81,87,88

The Engineered Zinc Finger Protein Targeting 2LTR Inhibits HIV Integration in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell-Derived Macrophages: In Vitro Study, the researchers investigated the efficacy and safety of 2LTRZFP in human CD34+ HSPCs. Researchers used a lentiviral vector to transduce 2LTRZFP with the mCherry tag (2LTRZFPmCherry) into human CD34+ HSPCs. The study findings suggest that the anti-HIV-1 integrase scaffold is an enticing antiviral molecule that could be utilised in human CD34+ HSPC-based gene therapy for AIDS patients.89

The fundamental element of HIV management is stem cell genetic modification, which involves genetically enhanced patient-derived stem cells to overcome HIV infection. In this sector, numerous experimental studies, in vitro as well as in vivo examinations, and positive outcomes for AIDS patients have been conducted.65,74 Genetic engineering for HIV-infected individuals can provide a once-only intervention that minimizes viral load, restores the immune system, and minimizes the accumulated toxicities concerned with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).73 HSCs can be genetically altered, permitting for the addition of exogenous components to the progeny that protects them from direct infectious disease and/or enables them to target a specific antigen. Besides that, HSC-based strategies can enhance multilineage hemopoietic advancement by re-establishing several arms of the immune function. Eventually, as HSCs can be produced autologously, immunologic tolerance is typically high, enabling effective engraftment and subsequent distinction into the fully functioning mature hematopoietic cells.30

The utilization of human HSCs to rebuild the immune function in HIV disease is one application that tries to preserve newly formed cells from HIV infection, while another attempts to develop immune cells that attack HIV infected cells. While each initiative has many different aspects at the moment, they represent huge attention to HIV/AIDS therapies that, most likely when integrated with the other therapeutic approaches, would result in the body trying to overcome the obstacles needed for the virus to be effectively cleaned up.30

While HSC transplantation technique and processes are not accurately novel, as they are commonly and effectively used to address a wide variety of haematological diseases and malignant neoplasms,90 trying to combine them with a gene therapeutic strategy represents a unique and possibly potent therapeutic approach for HIV and AIDS-related ailments. As the results of HIV-infected patients who obtained autologous HSCT continued to improve, there was growing interest in genetically altered stem cells that were tolerant to HIV disease. Multiple logistical challenges have impeded the advancement of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells as a conceivable therapeutic option for HIV/AIDS.72,73

UCLAs Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Restorative Medicine and Stem Cell Studies is one bit closer to constructing an instrument to arm the bodys immune system to attack and defeat HIV. Dr. Kitchen et al are the first ones to disclose the use of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), a genetically manipulated molecule, in blood-forming stem cells. In the experiment, the research team introduced a CAR gene into blood-forming stem cells, which were then moved into HIV-infected mice that had been genetically programmed. The scientists found that CAR-carrying blood stem cells efficiently transformed into fully functioning T cells that have the ability to kill HIV-infected cells in mice. The outcome was an 80-to-95 percentage reduction in HIV levels, suggesting that stem-cell-based genetic engineering with a CAR might be a viable and effective approach for treating HIV infection among humans. The CAR initiative, according to Dr. Kitchen, is much more able to adapt and ultimately more efficient, which can conceivably be used by others. If any further experiment showcases keep promising, the scientists expect that a practice based on their strategy will be accessible for clinical development within the next 510 years.91

HSCT and HAART therapeutic approaches in treating HIV/AIDS as the emergence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the 1990s improved survival rates of HIV infection, leading to a major dramatic drop in the occurrence of AIDS and AIDS-related mortalities. As an outcome, there is much less involvement with using HSCT as a therapy for HIV infection.28,33,43,67,86

A randomized clinical trial of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplant among HIV/AIDS immunological non responders investigation, the researchers examined the clinical efficacy of transfusion of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC) for immunological non-responder clients with long-term HIV disease who have an unmet medical need in the aspect of effective antiretroviral therapy. From May 2013 to March 2016, 72 HIV-infected participants were admitted in this stage of the randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled dose-determination investigation. They were either given a high dose of hUC-MSC of 1.5106/kg body weight as well as small doses of hUC-MSC of 0.5106/kg body weight, or a placebo application. During the 96-week follow-up experiment, interventional and immunological character traits were analysed. They found that hUC-MSC therapy was both safe and efficacious among humans. There was a significant rise in CD4+ T counts after 48 weeks of treatment in both the high-dose (P 0.001) and low-dose (P 0.001) groups, but no changes in the comparison group.92

One interesting invention made by a team of UC Davis investigators is the recognition of a particular form of stem cell that can minimize the quantity of the virus that tends to cause AIDS, thus dramatically increasing the bodys antiviral immune activity. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) furnish an incredible opportunity for a creative and innovative, multi-pronged HIV cure strategic plan by augmenting prevailing HIV potential treatments. Even while no antivirals have been used, MSCs have been able to increase the hosts antiviral responses. MSC therapeutic approaches require specialized delivery systems and good cell quality regulation. The studys findings lay the proper scientific foundation for future research into MSC in the ongoing treatment of HIV and other contagious diseases in the clinical organization.35

Infection with HIV-1 necessitates the existence of both specific receptors and a chemokine receptor, particularly chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5).46 Resistance to HIV-1 infection is attained by homozygozygozity for a 32-bp removal in the CCR5 allele.93 In this investigation, stem cells were transplanted in a patient with severe myeloid leukaemia and HIV-1 infection from a donor who was homozygous to Chemokine receptor 5 delta 32. The client seemed to have no viral relapses after 20 months of transplantation and attempting to stop antiretroviral medicine. This finding highlights the essential role that CCR5 tries to play in HIV-1 infection maintenance.86

In comparison, additional HIV-1-infected people who have received allogeneic stem cell transplants with cells from CCR5 truly wild donors did not have long-term relapses from HIV-1 rebound, with 2 of these patients trying to report viral reoccurrence 12 as well as 32 weeks after analytic treatment interruption, respectively. Among these 2 patients, allogeneic stem cell transplantation probably reduced but did not eliminate latently HIV-infected cells, enabling persistent viral reservoirs to activate viral rebound. This viewpoint may not rule out the potential that allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation might result in a much more comprehensive or near-complete elimination of viral reservoirs, enabling long-term drug-free relapse of HIV-1 infection in some contexts.84 As just one report demonstrated a decade earlier, a curative treatment for HIV-1 remained elusive. The Berlin Patient has undergone 2 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations to cure his acute myeloid leukaemia utilizing a potential donor with a homozygous genetic mutation in HIV coreceptor CCR5 (CCR532/32).15,34,46,64,65,72,82,84,86,9496 Other similar studies with CCR5 receptor targets are as follows: Automated production of CCR5-negative CD4+-T cells in a GMP compatible, clinical scale for treatment of HIV-positive patients,97 Mechanistic Models Predict Efficacy of CCR5-Deficient Stem Cell Transplants in HIV Patient Populations,98 Conditional suicidal gene with CCR5 knockout.99

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats CRISPR/Cas9 is a promising gene editing approach that can edit genes for gain-of-function or loss-of-function mutations in order to address genetic abnormalities. Despite the fact that other gene editing techniques exist, CRISPR/Cas9 is the most reliable and efficient proven method for gene rectification.100103

Genome engineering employing CRISPR/Cas has proven to be a strong method for quickly and accurately changing specific genomic sequences. The rise of innovative haematopoiesis research tools to examine the complexity of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology has been fuelled by considerable advancements in CRISPR technology over the last five years. High-throughput CRISPR screenings using many new flavours of Cas and sequential and/or functional outcomes, in specific, have become more effective and practical.104,105

The power of the CRISPR/Cas system is that it can specifically and efficiently target sequences in the genome with just a single synthetic guide RNA (sgRNA) and a single protein. Cas9 is directed to the specific DNA sequence by the sgRNA, which causes double stranded breaks and activates the cells DNA repair processes. Non-homologous end joining can cause insertiondeletion (indel) substitutions at the target location, whereas homology-directed repair can use a template DNA to insert new genetic material.104,106

The possibility for CRISPR/Cas9 to be used in the hematopoietic system was emphasised as pretty shortly after it was initiated as a new genome editing method.106,107 The efficiency with which CRISPR-mediated alteration can be used to evaluate hematopoietic stem/progenitor and mature cell function via transplantation. As a result, hematopoietic research has significantly advanced with the implementation of these technologies. Whilst single-gene CRISPR/Cas9 programming is a significant tool for testing gene function in primary hematopoietic cells, high-throughput screenings potentially offer CRISPR/Cas9 an even greater advantage in hematopoietic research.104

While understanding human haematological disorders requires the ability to mimic diseases, the ultimate goal is to transfer this innovation into therapies. Despite significant advancements in CRISPR technology, there are still barriers to overcome before CRISPR/Cas9 can be used effectively and safely in humans. CRISPR has also been used to target CCR5 in CD34+ HSPCs in an effort to make immune cells resistant to HIV infection, as CCR5 is an important coreceptor for HIV infection.104

CRISPR is a modern genome editing technique that could be used to treat immunological illnesses including HIV. The utilization of CRISPR in stem cells for HIV-related investigation, on the other end, was ineffective, and much of the experiment was done in vivo. The new research idea is about increasing CRISPR-editing efficiencies in stem cell transplantation for HIV treatment, as well as its future perspective. The possible genes that enhance HIV resistance and stem cell engraftment should be explored more in the future studies. To strengthen HIV therapy or resistance, double knockout and knock-in approaches must be used to build a positive engraftment. In the future, CRISPR/SaCas9 and Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) administration should be explored in the further investigations.108 As well as some different title studies were explained the effectiveness of the CRISPR gene editing technology on the management of HIV/AIDS including: CRISPR view of hematopoietic stem cells: Moving innovative bioengineering into the clinic,104 CRISPR-Edited Stem Cells in a Patient with HIV and Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia,109 Sequential LASER ART and CRISPR Treatments Eliminate HIV-1 in a Subset of Infected Humanized Mice,110 Extinction of all infectious HIV in cell culture by the CRISPR-Cas12a system with only a single crRNA,111 HIV-specific humoral immune responses by CRISPR/Cas9-edited B cells,112 CRISPR-Cas9 Mediated Exonic Disruption for HIV-1 Elimination,113 RNA-directed gene editing specifically eradicates latent and prevents new HIV-1 infection,114 CRISPR/Cas9 Ablation of Integrated HIV-1 Accumulates Pro viral DNA Circles with Reformed Long Terminal Repeats,115 CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene disruption of HIV-1 co-receptors confers broad resistance to infection in human T cells and humanized mice,116 Inhibition of HIV-1 infection of primary CD4+ T-cells by gene editing of CCR5 using adenovirus-delivered CRISPR/Cas9,117 Transient CRISPR-Cas Treatment Can Prevent Reactivation of HIV-1 Replication in a Latently Infected T-Cell Line,118 CCR5 Gene Disruption via Lentiviral Vectors Expressing Cas9 and Single Guided RNA Renders Cells Resistant to HIV-1 Infection,119 CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated CCR5 Ablation in Human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells Confers HIV-1 Resistance In Vivo.109

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have significantly advanced the field of regenerative medicine by allowing the generation of patient-specific pluripotent stem cells from adult individuals. The progress of iPSCs for HIV treatment has the potential to generate a continuous supply of therapeutic cells for transplantation into HIV-infected patients. The title of the study is reported on Generation of HIV-1 Resistant and Functional Macrophages from Hematopoietic Stem Cellderived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. In this investigation, researchers used human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to produce anti-HIV gene expressing iPSCs for HIV gene therapy. HSCs were dedifferentiated into constantly growing iPSC lines using 4 reprogramming factors and a combination anti-HIV lentiviral vector comprising a CCR5 shRNA and a human/rhesus chimeric TRIM5 gene. After directing the anti-HIV iPSCs toward the hematopoietic lineage, a large number of colony-forming CD133+ HSCs were acquired. These cells were distinguished further into functional end-stage macrophages with a normal phenotypic profile. Upon viral challenge, the anti-HIV iPSC-derived macrophages displayed good protection against HIV-1 infection. Researchers have clearly shown how iPSCs can establish into HIV-1 resistant immune cells and explain their prospective use in HIV gene and cellular therapies.120

Some other similar titles of the studies reported on the effectiveness of IPSCs on HIV/AIDS managements are as follows: Generation of HIV-Resistant Macrophages from IPSCs by Using Transcriptional Gene Silencing and Promoter-Targeted RNA,121 Generation of HIV-1-infected patients gene-edited induced pluripotent stem cells using feeder-free culture conditions,122 A High-Throughput Method as a Diagnostic Tool for HIV Detection in Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Generated by Different Reprogramming Methods,123 Genetically edited CD34+ cells derived from human iPS cells in vivo but not in vitro engraft and differentiate into HIV-resistant cells,124 Engineered induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived monocyte extracellular vesicles alter inflammation in HIV humanized mice,125 Sustainable Antiviral Efficacy of Rejuvenated HIV-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Generated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.126

Recently, one HIV patient appeared to be virus-free after having undergone a stem-cell transfusion in which their WBCs were changed with HIV-resistant variations.84 Timothy Ray Brown also noted as the Berlin patient, who is still virus-free, was the first individual to undertake stem-cell transplantation a decade earlier. The most recent patient, like Brown, had a type of leukaemia that was vulnerable to chemo treatments. They required a bone marrow transplantation, which involved removing their blood cells and replacing them with stem cells from a donor cell.5,31,34,41,127130 Rather than simply choosing a suitable donor, Ravindra Gupta et al chose one who already had 2 copies of a mutant within the CCR5 gene,128,131 which provides resistance to HIV infection.3

Additionally, this gene encodes for a specific receptor of white blood cells that are assisted in the bodys immunological responses. The transplant, according to Guptas team, completely replaced the clients White cells with HIV-resistant forms.41,83 Cells in the patients blood disrupted expressing the CCR5 receptor, making it unfeasible for the clients form of HIV to infect the above cells again. The scientists determined that the virus had been cleared from the patients blood after the transplantation. Besides that, after 16 months, the client has withdrawn antiretroviral treatment. The infection was not detected in the most recent follow-up, which occurred 18 months after the treatment was discontinued. Adam, also known as the London patient, was the second person to be cured of HIV as a result of a stem cell transfusion. This discovery is an important step forward in HIV research because it may aid in the detection of potential future therapeutic interventions. It must be noted, but even so, that this is not an extensively used HIV treatment. For HIV-infected patients, antiretroviral drugs have been the foremost therapeutic option.3,31,41,94,129,130 It also encourages many investigators and clinicians to look at the use of stem cells in the treatment of a wide range of serious medical conditions. The reprogramming abilities of stem cells, as well as their accessibility, have created a window of opportunity in medical research. The clinical utility of stem cells is forecast to expand rapidly in the coming years.

On Feb 15, 2022, scientific researchers confirmed that a woman had become the 3rd person in history to be successfully treated for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, after just receiving a stem-cell transfusion that has used cells from cord blood. Within those transplant recipients, adult hematopoietic stem cells have been used; these are stem cells that eventually develop into all blood cell types, which include white blood cells, these are a vital component of the immune framework. Even so, the woman who had fairly recently been completely cured of HIV infection had a more unique experience than that of the 2 men who were actually cured before her.132

The clients physician, Dr. JingMei Hsu of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, informed them that, she had been discharged from the hospital just 17 days after her procedure was performed, even with no indications of graft vs host ailment. The woman was HIV-positive but also had acute myeloid leukaemia, a blood cancer of the bone marrow that affects blood-forming cells. She had likely received cord blood as a successful treatment for both her cancer and HIV once her doctors decided on a potential donor well with HIV-blocking gene mutation. Cord blood comprises a high accumulation of hematopoietic stem cells; the blood is obtained during a childs birth and donated by the parents.132

The patients donor was partly nearly matched, and she received stem cells from a close family member to enhance her immune function after the transfusion. The procedure was performed on the woman in August of 2017. She chose to discontinue taking antiretroviral drugs, the standardized HIV intervention, 37 months upon her transfusion. After more than 14 months, there is no evidence of the viral infection or antibodies against it in her blood. Umbilical cord blood, in reality, is much more commonly accessible and simpler to try to match to beneficiaries than bone marrow. Perhaps, some research suggests that the method could be more available to HIV patients than bone marrow transplantation. Nearly 38 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. The potential for using partly matched umbilical cord blood transplantation increases the chances of choosing appropriate suitable donors for these clients considerably.132

It is really exciting to see the earlier terminally ill diseases of being effectively treated. In recent times, there has been a surge of focus on stem cell research.3 Stem cell therapy advancements in inpatient care are receiving a growing amount of attention.20 HIV/AIDS has been and remains a significant health concern around the world. Effective control of the HIV pandemic will necessitate a thorough understanding of the viruss transmission.32

Despite concerns about full compliance and adverse reactions, HAART has demonstrated to be able to succeed and is a sign specifically targeted form of treatment against HIV advancement. As illustrated by the first case of HIV infection relapse attained by bone marrow transplant, anti-HIV HPSC-based stem cell treatment and genotype technology have established a possible future upcoming technique to try to combat HIV/AIDS.

Investigators have conducted experiments with engineering distinct anti-HIV genetic traits trying to target different phases of HIV infection utilizing advanced scientific modalities. In numerous in vivo and in vitro animal studies, HSPCs and successive mature cells were secured from HIV infection by trying to target genetic factors in the infection. Anti-HIV gene engineering of HSPCs is safe and efficacious.15

The number of stem-cell-based research trials has risen in recent years. Thousands of studies claiming to use stem cells in experimental therapies have been registered worldwide. Despite some promising results, the majority of clinical stem cell technologies are still in their early life. These achievements have drawn attention to the possibility of the potential and advancement of various promising stem cell treatments currently in development.11

HIV remains a major danger to humanity. This virus has developed the ability to evade antiretroviral medication, resulting in the death of individuals. Scientists are constantly looking for a treatment for HIV/AIDS that is both effective and efficient.52 The 1st treatments in HIV+ clients were conducted in the early 1980s, even though they were cognizant of their viral disease. Following these early cases, allogeneic SCT was used to treat HIV+ patients with associated cancer or other haematological disorders all over the world. Stem cell transplantation developments have also stimulated the improvement of innovative HIV therapeutic approaches, especially for large goals like eradication and relapse.60

Numerous stem cell therapy progressions have been recognized with autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell transplant in AIDS immunologic non-responders. Whereas this sector continues to advance and distinguishing directives for these cells become much more effective, totipotent stem cells such as hESC and the recently reported induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) could be very useful for genetic engineering methods to counter hematopoietic abnormalities such as HIV disease.133135

Immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of catching life-threatening diseases. The perseverance of latently infected cells, which is formed by viral genome inclusion into host cell chromosomes, is a significant challenge in HIV-1 elimination. Stem cell therapy is producing impressive patient outcomes, illustrating not only the broad relevance of these strategies but also the huge potential of cell and gene treatment using adult stem cells and somatic derivative products of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs).

Stem cells have enormous regeneration capacity, and a plethora of interesting therapeutic uses are on the frontier. This is a highly interdisciplinary scientific field. Evolutionary biologists, biological technicians, mechanical engineers, and others that have evolved novel concepts and decided to bring them to medical applications are required to make important contributions. Further to that, recent advancements in several different research areas may contribute to stem cell application forms that are novel. Several hurdles must be conquered, however, in the advancement of stem cells. On the other hand, this discipline appears to be a promising and rapidly expanding research area.

Stem cell-based approaches to HIV treatment resemble an innovative approach to trying to rebuild the ravaged bodys immune system with the utmost goal of eliminating the virus from the body. We will probably see effective experiments from the next new generation of stem cell-based strategies shortly, which will start serving as a base for the further development and use of these techniques in a range of treatment application areas for other chronic diseases.

My immense pleasure was mentioned to family members and friends, who supported and encouraged me in every activity.

There was no funding for this work.

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

1. Zakrzewski W, Dobrzyski M, Szymonowicz M, Rybak Z. Stem cells: past, present, and future. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2019;10:68. doi:10.1186/s13287-019-1165-5

2. Nadig RR. Stem cell therapy hype or hope? A review. J Conserv Dent JCD. 2009;12:131138. doi:10.4103/0972-0707.58329

3. Tasnim KN, Adrita SH, Hossain S, Akash SZ, Sharker S. The prospect of stem cells for HIV and cancer treatment: a review. Pharm Biomed Res. 2020;6:1726.

4. Weissman IL. Translating stem and progenitor cell biology to the clinic: barriers and opportunities. Science. 2000;287:14421446. doi:10.1126/science.287.5457.1442

5. Pernet O, Yadav SS, An DS. Stem cellbased therapies for HIV/AIDS. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2016;103:187201. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2016.04.027

6. Kolios G, Moodley Y. Introduction to stem cells and regenerative medicine. Respir Int Rev Thorac Dis. 2013;85:310.

7. Ebrahimi A, Ahmadi H, Ghasrodashti ZP, et al. Therapeutic effects of stem cells in different body systems, a novel method that is yet to gain trust: a comprehensive review. Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2021;21:672701. doi:10.17305/bjbms.2021.5508

8. Introduction stem cells. Available from: https://www.dpz.eu/en/platforms/degenerative-diseases/research/introduction-stem-cells.html. Accessed December 19, 2021.

9. Hu J, Chen X, Fu S. Stem cell therapy for thalassemia: present and future. Chin J Tissue Eng Res. 2018;22:3431.

10. Aly RM. Current state of stem cell-based therapies: an overview. Stem Cell Investig. 2020;7:8. doi:10.21037/sci-2020-001

11. Chari S, Nguyen A, Saxe J. Stem cells in the clinic. Cell Stem Cell. 2018;22:781782. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.017

12. De Luca M, Aiuti A, Cossu G, Parmar M, Pellegrini G, Robey PG. Advances in stem cell research and therapeutic development. Nat Cell Biol. 2019;21:801811. doi:10.1038/s41556-019-0344-z

13. Hipp J, Atala A. Sources of stem cells for regenerative medicine. Stem Cell Rev. 2008;4:311. doi:10.1007/s12015-008-9010-8

14. Bobba S, Di Girolamo N, Munsie M, et al. The current state of stem cell therapy for ocular disease. Exp Eye Res. 2018;177:6575. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2018.07.019

15. Khalid K, Padda J, Fernando RW, et al. Stem cell therapy and its significance in HIV infection. Cureus. 2021;13. doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-00798-3

16. Gq D, Morrell CN, Tarango C. Stem cells: roadmap to the clinic. J Clin Invest. 2010;121:120. doi:10.1172/JCI39828

17. Prentice DA. Adult Stem Cells. Circ Res. 2019;124:837839. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313664

18. McKee C, Chaudhry GR. Advances and challenges in stem cell culture. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2017;159:6277. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.07.051

19. Prez Lpez S, Otero Hernndez J. Advances in stem cell therapy. In: Lpez-Larrea C, Lpez-Vzquez A, Surez-lvarez B, editors. Stem Cell Transplantation. New York, NY: Springer US; 2012:290313.

20. Zhang F-Q, Jiang J-L, Zhang J-T, Niu H, X-Q F, Zeng -L-L. Current status and future prospects of stem cell therapy in Alzheimers disease. Neural Regen Res. 2020;15:242250. doi:10.4103/1673-5374.265544

21. Hu L, Zhao B, Wang S. Stem-cell therapy advances in China. Hum Gene Ther. 2018;29:188196. doi:10.1089/hum.2017.224

22. Tadlock D Stem cell basics introduction; 19.

23. Poulos J. The limited application of stem cells in medicine: a review. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2018;9:1. doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0735-7

24. Madl CM, Heilshorn SC, Blau HM. Bioengineering strategies to accelerate stem cell therapeutics. Nature. 2018;557:335342. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0089-z

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New sickle cell disease gene therapies depend on getting the right mouse – EurekAlert

image:Human red blood cells with sickle cell disease view more

Credit: Image courtesy of the Weiss lab. For permission to reuse, please contact St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

Sickle cell disease is an extremely debilitating condition that affects up to 40% of the population in African countries, with patients suffering episodes of excruciating pain, organ damage and reduced life-expectancy. This disease is caused by a mutation in a gene that makes haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells, with the damaged haemoglobin distorting the shape of red blood cells, causing painful and potentially life-threatening blockages in blood vessels. However, scientists have realised that increasing the production of a healthy form of this protein (foetal haemoglobin, which is usually only produced when we are in the womb), could provide a revolutionary treatment for these patients. In their current Disease Models & Mechanisms article, Mitchell Weiss and colleagues from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, USA, investigated a promising new treatment that is being developed in Weiss lab and works by editing genes to switch on the production of this healthy, foetal haemoglobin in adult red blood cells. When testing the treatment in mice, the researchers found that even though the lab mice had the symptoms of sickle cell disease, the foetal haemoglobin gene and surrounding DNA were not properly configured, making the revolutionary stem-cell treatment ineffective or even harmful in the animals and raising concerns for future research testing new gene-based therapies in these laboratory mice.

Before a new treatment can be tested on people, scientists test them on laboratory animals, so Weiss and colleagues tried their new gene therapy in two types of mice that carry the symptoms of sickle cell disease: so-called Berkeley and Townes mice. First, they removed stem cells cells in the bone marrow programmed to become red blood cells from the mice and used gene editing to modify part of the stem cells DNA to switch on the healthy foetal haemoglobin gene. The scientists then put these reprogrammed stem cells back into the mice and monitored the animals for 18 weeks to find out how the treatment affected them.

Surprisingly, 70% of the Berkeley mice died from the therapy and it only activated production of the healing foetal haemoglobin gene in 3.1% of mouses stem cells. In contrast, the experimental treatment activated the foetal haemoglobin gene in 57% of red blood cells in the Townes mice and did not affect the animals survival. However, the levels of foetal haemoglobin produced in the red blood cells of Townes mice were 7- to 10-times lower than seen when this approach is used in human cells grown in the laboratory and not high enough to reduce clinical signs of sickle cell disease.

Weiss and colleagues then wanted to find out why this new treatment was not successful in the Berkeley mice, which have been used for decades to test treatments for sickle cell disease. Dr Weiss says, We realized that we did not know enough about the genetic configurations of these mice. Therefore, the team sequenced the haemoglobin genes and surrounding DNA of the Berkeley mice and discovered that instead of having a single copy of the mutated human gene, the mice had 22 randomly arranged, broken-up copies of the mutated human sickle cell disease gene and 27 copies of the human foetal haemoglobin that the team had hoped to activate to cure the mice of the disease. This complex genetic make-up caused the fatal effects when the scientists tested the gene therapy in the Berkeley mice, as editing multiple copies of a gene can damage the DNA. This means that researchers cannot use these mice to test and optimise this gene-editing treatment.

In contrast, the Townes mice only had single copies of the mutated human haemoglobin gene and the gene that makes human foetal haemoglobin. However, these mice likely lacked crucial pieces of DNA that normally regulate the production of the foetal haemoglobin gene in humans. Therefore, they couldnt produce enough of this healthy protein to alleviate the mouse symptoms. Dr Weiss commented, Our findings will help scientists using the Berkeley and Townes mice decide which to use to address their specific research question relating to sickle cell disease or haemoglobin. Additionally, this work provides a reminder for scientists to carefully consider the genetics of the mice that they are using to study human diseases and find the right mouse for the job.

Disease Models & Mechanisms

Experimental study

Animals

Limitations of mouse models for sickle cell disease conferred by their human globin transgene configurations

6-Jul-2022

Dr Weiss is on advisory boards for Cellarity Inc., Novartis, Graphite Bio and Forma Therapeutics. The other authors declare no competing financial interests. Co-author Akshay Sharma is the site principal investigator of clinical trials for genome editing of sickle cell disease sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals/CRISPR Therapeutics(NCT03745287)and Novartis(NCT04443907). The industry sponsors provide funding for the clinical trial, which includes salary support. Akshay Sharma has received consultant fee from Spotlight Therapeutics, Medexus Inc. and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He has also received research funding from CRISPR Therapeutics and honoraria from Vindico Medical Education.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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TC BioPharm Announces Formation of Scientific Advisory Board with Renowned Cell Therapy Experts – GuruFocus.com

EDINBURGH, Scotland, May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TC Biopharm (Holdings) PLC ("TC Biopharm" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TCBP) (NASDAQ: TCBPW), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing platform allogeneic gamma-delta T cell therapies for cancer and viral indications, announced today announced the formation of a scientific advisory board (SAB) to advance its gamma-delta T cell therapy, OmnImmune, for the treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

"We are honored to have these remarkable and accomplished cell therapeutics and scientific leaders join TC BioPharm's Scientific Advisory Board," said Bryan Kobel, CEO of TC BioPharm. "These individuals have made significant contributions and pioneered breakthroughs in cell therapy research and therapeutics, and together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience for TC BioPharm, as we work to develop our proprietary therapies to treat blood cancers and develop our platform into other oncological areas. We wil continue to expand our SAB to bring other expertise in cell therapy modalities to reflect our ongoing R&D efforts as well. TCBP looks forward to the input of these outstanding individuals as we advance our platform technology in allogeneic gamma deltas and their contribution to our ongoing research and development efforts in a number of project areas."

Members of the TC BioPharm Scientific Advisory include;

Mark Bonyhadi, Ph D., will lead the SAB. He is a senior advisor to Qiming Venture Partners USA and former Vice President of Research at Juno Therapeautics (acquired by Celgene). Dr. Bonyhadi has more than 30 years of experience in biopharmaceutical leadership roles in the US, specifically in the research and development of commercially viable approaches to take cell and gene therapies, as well as regenerative medicines, from the lab to the clinic and for subsequent commercial development. Prior to his role as vice president of Research at Juno Therapeutics Inc (acquired by Celgene Corporation), he was Director of Global Business Development for Cell Therapy at Invitrogen (which merged to become Life Technologies and was subsequently acquired by Thermo-Fisher) and prior to that, Vice President ofResearch at Xycte Therapies and a Senior Scientist at SyStemix, Inc. He was formerly the chair of the Industry Liaison Committee for the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (2015-2016). He is also the inventor on 11 patents and an author on 40 publications. He currently is a member of the scientific advisory board for Akron Biotech and also serves as a Non-executive Director at TCBP and as a Non-executive Director at Integra Therapeutics.

Uma Lakshmipathy, Ph D., has two decades of experience in cell biology, stem cells and translational research. She is currently the Director of R&D in Science and Technology and Head of Patheon Translation Services in Pharma Services Group at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Her work is focused on developing end-to-end, standardized processes and analytics for cell therapy and support translational services destined towards cGMP manufacturing. She has a strong foundation in development of clinical-grade reagents and processes, viral and non-viral methods of cell modification and, analytical platforms for comprehensive cell therapy product characterization. As a junior faculty at the Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, she was involved in ex vivo gene repair of disease mutations in adult stem cells. She has a doctoral degree in Molecular Biophysics from the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in India, postdoctoral experience in DNA double strand break repair from University of Minnesota Medical School and has authored several scientific publications, books and patents.

Erin Adams, Ph D., is the Joseph Regenstein Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago and an expert in molecular immunology. She explores the molecular cues that the human immune system uses to distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue. Her primary focus is on unconventional, tissue resident effector cells in the human immune system including T cells, MR1-restricted and CD1-restricted T cells. Her laboratory research seeks to understand the role of these cells types in the immune response process and what signals regulate their activity in tissue homeostasis and disease. She has received multiple honors, including being named a Searle Scholar, a Kavli Fellow and awarded a Cancer Research Foundation Junior Investigator Award.

About TC BioPharm (Holdings) PLCTC BioPharm is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of gamma-delta T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and viral infections with human efficacy data in acute myeloid leukemia. Gamma-delta T cells are naturally occurring immune cells that embody properties of both the innate and adaptive immune systems and can intrinsically differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue. TC BioPharm uses an allogeneic approach in both unmodified and CAR modified gamma delta t-cells to effectively identify, target and eradicate both liquid and solid tumors in cancer.

TC BioPharm is the leader in developing gamma-delta T cell therapies, and the first company to conduct phase II/pivotal clinical studies in oncology. The Company is conducting two investigator-initiated clinical trials for its unmodified gamma-delta T cell product line - Phase 2b/3 pivotal trial for OmnImmune in treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and Phase I trial for ImmuniStim in treatment of Covid patients using the Company's proprietary allogenic CryoTC technology to provide frozen product to clinics worldwide. TC BioPharm also maintains a robust pipeline for future indications in solid tumors and other aggressive viral infections as well as a significant IP/patent portfolio in the use of CARs with gamma delta t-cells and owns our manufacturing facility to maintain cost and product quality controls.

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect our current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The reference to the website of TC BioPharm has been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

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LifeSouth’s cord blood bank and UAB Medicine partner to save lives – News | UAB – University of Alabama at Birmingham

Cord blood from a newborns umbilical cord can be used to treat many types of blood cancers such as leukemia.

Mothers delivering newborns at the University of Alabama at Birmingham now can donate their newborns umbilical cord blood to LifeSouth Cord Blood Bank, a public FDA-licensed cord blood bank of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. Donating cord blood is painless for mother and baby, and there is no charge for the lifesaving service.

LifeSouth has been a terrific partner in enabling our patients at UAB to donate umbilical cord blood, which would otherwise be discarded, to this very worthy cause, said Brian Casey, M.D., director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. Through this collaboration, we have already successfully donated more than 100 specimens that have been banked and will be used to save lives across the globe.

Since January, UAB Medicine and LifeSouth Cord Blood Bank have partnered in collecting cord blood, and over 100 potentially lifesaving umbilical cords have been collected. Cord blood is rich with blood-forming stem cells that can help patients needing a bone marrow transplant. Cord blood transplants have successfully treated cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, and other diseases of the bone marrow.

We are thankful to UAB for their commitment to help save lives through the collection of cord blood, said Kim Kinsell, president and CEO of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. They are giving new mothers the opportunity to potentially help patients facing some of the most challenging and complex diseases.

Cord blood offers some practical advantages over traditional adult marrow or stem cell donations. While the tissue from an adult donor must be matched with near pinpoint accuracy to a recipient, cord blood can succeed with less perfect matching. It is also tested, frozen and ready for transplant, saving time for patients in need.

Knowing that my babys cord blood, which would have been discarded, could potentially save someones life is an added joy, said Rosalina Betances, who donated her cord blood with LifeSouth Cord Blood Bank. The collection was painless and took little time after the birth. I am so happy we made the decision to donate, and I was given a chance at my hospital.

July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, and UAB and LifeSouth are dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cord blood donation, and celebrating the doctors, nurses and mothers who help ensure lifesaving cord blood is available to help patients when needed.

Expectant mothers and families are encouraged to find out more about public cord blood donation. For additional information, call LifeSouth at 888-795-2707 or visit http://www.lifesouth.org.

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This Key Protein Is Essential for Brain Cell Longevity and Growth – SciTechDaily

Recent research finds that the insulin receptor protein (INSR) is pivotal for brain stem cell longevity and growth.

Stem cells are the bodys raw materials they are the cells that give rise to all other cells with specialized functions. In the right circumstances, stem cells in the body divide to produce new cells known as daughter cells.

Humans contain neural stem cells in their brains. These brain stem cells may develop into neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes. Because neural stem cells generate all of the brains cell types, there is a multitude of stem cells in an embryos brain. In fact, the majority of brain cells are born in the embryo stage. These cells persist till adulthood and can be found in particular regions of the brain. Neural stem cells are essential for your brain to properly function.

According to research from Rutgers University, a receptor that was first identified as necessary for insulin action and is also found on neural stem cells found deep in the brains of mice is crucial for brain stem cell longevity, a finding that has important implications for brain health and future therapies for brain disorders.

The research, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, focuses on a particular protein known as the insulin receptor (INSR), which is prevalent in neural stem cells in the brains subventricular zone. Neural stem cells give rise to the entire nervous system throughout development and persist into adulthood. Over the course of a persons life, these neural stem cells generate new neurons and non-neuronal cells that help the brains infrastructure and function.

Separately, while studying brain tumors, the researchers discovered that INSR plays an important role in the survival and maintenance of a population of specialized brain cancer cells known as glioblastoma (GBM) stem cells. They were able toreducethe growth of those primitive tumor-forming cells by inactivating the INSR in GBM stem cells.

Its important to understand the molecular mechanisms that are critical for the growth and sustenance of the brains stem cells under normal and abnormal growth states, said study author Steven Levison, a professor of neuroscience in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience and director of the Laboratory for Regenerative Neurobiology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Comprehending the signals that regulate these primitive cells could one day lead to new therapeutics for brain disorders.

Many neurodegenerative disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and Alzheimers disease, are connected with the destruction of brain cells, said co-author Teresa Wood, a Distinguished Professor and Rena Warshow Endowed Chair in Multiple Sclerosis in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

If we could influence how brain stem cells function then we can use this knowledge to replace diseased or dead brain cells with living ones, which would advance the treatment of neurological diseases and brain injuries, said Wood, who also teaches and conducts research at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

Cell receptors such as INSR are protein molecules that reside on the surfaces of cells. Substances, either natural or human-made, that open the lock of a receptor can spur a cell to divide, differentiate or die. By identifying which receptors perform these functions on specific cell types, and by understanding their structures and functions, scientists can design substances that act as keys to receptors, to turn them on or off.

Previous studies by this research team had shown that a certain key, the signaling protein that is known as the insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), was necessary to maintain the neural stem cells in the two places of the adult brain that harbor these primitive cells. In the current experiment, scientists were looking to identify the receptor. To do so, they used genetic tools that allowed them to both delete the INSR and introduce a fluorescent protein so they could track the neural stem cells and the cells they generate. They found that the numbers of neural stem cells in the subventricular zone in the brains of mice lacking the INSR collapsed.

Adult neurogenesis the idea that new cells are produced in the adult brain has been a burgeoning field of scientific inquiry since the late 1990s, when researchers confirmed what had only been a theory in lab studies of human, primate, and bird brains. Neural stem cells in the adult are stem cells that can self-renew and produce new neurons and the supporting cells of the brain, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes.

Given the widespread interest in stem cells as well as interest in whether alterations to adult stem cells might contribute to cancer, our research findings should be of interest, Levison said.

Other Rutgers authors included Shravanthi Chidambaram, Fernando J. Velloso, Deborah E. Rothbard, Kaivalya Deshpande, and Yvelande Cajuste of the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Other participating investigators were at the University of Minnesota, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Brown University.

Reference: Subventricular zone adult mouse neural stem cells require insulin receptor for self-renewal by Shravanthi Chidambaram, Fernando J. Velloso, Deborah E. Rothbard, Kaivalya Deshpande, Yvelande Cajuste, Kristin M. Snyder, Eduardo Fajardo, Andras Fiser, Nikos Tapinos, Steven W. Levison and Teresa L. Wood, 5 May 2022, Stem Cell Reports.DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.04.007

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