Stem cell research aids understanding of cancer

(Phys.org) -- An international team of researchers led by renowned stem cell scientist Professor Martin Pera has discovered a novel marker that plays an important role in our understanding of how cancer develops in the liver, pancreas and oesophagus.

The study, published in the journal Stem Cell, adds to our understanding of the role of stem and next stage progenitor cells in tissue regeneration and in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

While stem cells are known to reside in organs such as the liver and pancreas, they are difficult to isolate. The new findings show that an antibody developed by the team can be used to capture the stem cells.

Professor Pera, program leader for Stem Cells Australia and Chair of Stem Cell Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said the antibody was able to detect progenitor cells in disease states such as cirrhosis of the liver, and in cancers such as pancreatic adenocarcinoma and oesophageal carcinoma.

By being able to identify these cells, we hope to be able to learn more about their role in tissue regeneration and in cancer especially in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, he said.

Cancers of the liver, pancreas and oesophagus are often very difficult to detect and challenging to treat.

The large collaboration of scientists from around the world working on this study evolved over many years with research undertaken in Professor Peras laboratories at the then Australian Stem Cell Centre and at the University of Southern California

Professor Pera and one of the co-authors on the paper, Dr Kouichi Hasegawa, were recently awarded an Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grant to continue their search for novel markers for liver, pancreatic and gut stem cells. Dr Hasegawa, who recently undertook a three month sabbatical at Stem Cells Australia, holds positions at Kyoto Universitys Institute for Integrated Cell-Materials Sciences and at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, India.

This funding will support us to develop more antibodies that can be used to assist in the identification and prospective isolation of stem and progenitor cells in these tissues and lead to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic reagents, said Professor Pera.

Provided by University of Melbourne

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Stem cell research aids understanding of cancer

Stem-cell discovery: reversing Alzheimer's?

Human neural stem cells. Courtesy UC Irvine radiation oncology professor Charles Limoli.

Human neural stem cells restored memory in mice with brain symptoms similar to Alzheimers disease, UC Irvine scientists reported Tuesday, opening the door to eventual treatment for human sufferers.

The announcement, made at an Alzheimers science conference in Vancouver, involves versatile though still largely mysterious neural stem cells grown in the lab by StemCells Inc., of Newark, Ca.

The cells, researchers at UCI and elsewhere have shown, can become many types of cells once injected into the body restoring limb movement in mice with crushed spines, halting blindness in rats and, now, improving memory and brain function in mice bred to exhibit the kinds of impairment seen in Alzheimers.

Youve probably heard about the God particle scientists have been working on, said Martin McGlynn, president and CEO of StemCells Inc. This isnt quite the God cell, but its an incredibly fascinating biological agent.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, scientists including Frank LaFerla, director of UCI MIND, worked on a treatment involving injection of the human neural stem cells into the brains of two kinds of mouse models those bred to model the effects of Alzheimers, and those bred to model the loss of neurons in a part of the brain known as the hippocampus.

Both animal models reported improvement in memory function, in a statistical way, McGlynn said.

Matthew Blurton-Jones, an assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior at UCI, presented the results of the Alzheimers work Tuesday at the Alzheimers Association International Conference.

Part of the scientists aim was to learn whether human neural cells placed in mice functioned as well as mouse neural cells.

That is one of the fascinating things about this, McGlynn said. They look like, smell like, walk like, dance like a human neural stem cell, (but) theyre fully regulated and submissive to the mouse, to the host.

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Stem-cell discovery: reversing Alzheimer's?

Stem cell discovery important for cancer

THE discovery of a unique marker on stem cells from the gut, liver and pancreas could eventually allow scientists to diagnose cancer earlier and develop new treatments, a Melbourne scientist says.

Professor Martin Pera from Stem Cells Australia and an international team developed an antibody that identifies and isolates the marker, which sits on the outer surface of stem cells and another type of cell called a progenitor.

These cells are particularly hard to find in the pancreas and liver.

By identifying the markers, the cells can be isolated and extracted for study in the laboratory, where scientists can observe what happens to the cells during the disease process and in repair and regeneration.

Prof Pera, who is also chair of Stem Cell Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said the number of cells with the marker expanded during pancreatic and esophageal cancer, and liver cirrhosis.

"It may well be that they are precursors of the cancers," Prof Pera told AAP.

He said if the marker could be found in the blood of cancer patients, it could allow sufferers to be diagnosed earlier and provide new approaches to treatment, which could involve developing drugs to target the marker on cancer cells.

"Cancers of the liver, pancreas and oesophagus are often very difficult to detect and challenging to treat," Prof Pera said.

He will continue his investigations into liver, pancreatic and gut stem cells with Dr Kouichi Hasegawa, who conducts stem cell research in Japan and India.

The research was published in the journal Stem Cell.

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Stem cell discovery important for cancer

New York Stem Cell Foundation scientists featured for new model of Alzheimer's disease

Public release date: 16-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David McKeon dmckeon@nyscf.org 212-365-7440 New York Stem Cell Foundation

NEW YORK, NY (July 16, 2012) A team of scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Laboratory led by Scott Noggle, PhD, NYSCFCharles Evans Senior Research Fellow for Alzheimer's Disease, has developed the first cell-based model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by reprogramming skin cells of Alzheimer's patients to become brain cells that are affected in Alzheimer's. This will allow researchers to work directly on living brain cells suffering from Alzheimer's, which until now had not been possible. Andrew Sproul, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Noggle's laboratory, will present this work on Thursday, July 19 at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) held in Vancouver.

Dr. Noggle and his team reprogrammed skin cell samples taken from twelve patients diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and from healthy, genetically related individuals into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which can differentiate into any cell type. The team of scientists used these iPS cells to create cholinergic basal forebrain neurons, the brain cells that are affected in Alzheimer's. These cells recapitulate the features and cellular-level functions of patients suffering from Alzheimer's, a devastating disease that affects millions of people globally but for which there is currently no effective treatment.

NYSCF has pioneered the creation of disease models based on the derivation of human cells. Four years ago, a NYSCF-funded team created a cell-based model for ALS, or motor neuron disease, the first patient-specific stem cells created for any disease. The cell-based model for Alzheimer's builds on this earlier work.

"Patient derived AD cells will prove invaluable for future research advances, as they already have with patient-derived ALS cells," said NYSCF CEO Susan Solomon. "They will be a critical tool in the drug discovery process, as potential drugs could be tested directly on these cells. Although research on animals has provided valuable insight into AD, we aren't mice, and animals don't properly reflect the features of the disease we are trying to cure. As we work to find new drugs and treatments our research should focus on actual human sufferers of Alzheimer's disease," emphasized Ms. Solomon

This cell-based model has already led to important findings. Preliminary results of this NYSCF research, done in collaboration with Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, an international expert in the pathology of Alzheimer's at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, demonstrated differences in cellular function in Alzheimer's patients. Specifically, Alzheimer's neurons produce more of the toxic form of beta amyloid, the protein fragment that makes up amyloid plaques, than in disease-free neurons.

"iPS cell technology, along with whole genome sequencing, provide our best chance at unravelling the causes of common forms of Alzheimer's disease," noted Dr. Gandy.

"This collaboration is a great example of how NYSCF is bringing together experts in stem cell technology and clinicians to save and enhance lives by finding better treatments," Ms. Solomon explained.

The research to be reported at the AAIC by Andrew Sproul focused on stem cell models of individuals with presenilin-1 (PSEN1) mutations, a genetic cause of AD. As Dr. Sproul has said, this cell-based model could "revolutionize how we discover drugs to potentially cure Alzheimer's disease."

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New York Stem Cell Foundation scientists featured for new model of Alzheimer's disease

Man blinded after attack to undergo stem cell treatment

Man blinded after attack to undergo stem cell treatment

By Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A blind and paralysed Limerick man flies to China today hoping a revolutionary stem cell treatment can restore the life he had three years ago.

Brian Hogan, 35, suffered brain damage after an unprovoked attack in Nottingham when he was assaulted by a British national. During the incident, Brian, from Ballykeeffe, hit his head on a pavement and subsequently spent three months in a coma at Queens Hospital in the city.

After months of rehabilitation, he relearned how to talk, but has been left blind and must use a wheelchair.

Brian said the treatment he will undergo in China has attracted controversy but anybody in his position would try everything to get their life back on track.

He will receive stem cell infusions once every two days over a three-week period, as well as other therapies.

His sister Nevis said: "This is finally happening. Were all very excited, but were also sick with nerves. We know it may or may not work but we have to try for Brians sake. Anyone in our position would do the same. Its a medical trial, not conventional medicine, and it could take up to six months before we see the full results. We would ask people to keep him in their thoughts over the next few weeks. Hes very positive and always tries to keep the bright side out. He still enjoys life."

Two anonymous donors have given 10,000 towards the treatment costs, which total 40,000.

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Man blinded after attack to undergo stem cell treatment

New stem cell treatment for ischemia, heart failure raises enough for clinical trials

The regenerative medicine company Juventas Therapeutics, which had already said it added Takeda Pharmaceuticals to its roster of investors, said this weekend it has raised enough money to take its treatments for heart failure and a severe form of peripheral artery disease through its latest round of clinical trials.

The $22.2 million investment will be used to complete a pair of Phase 2 trials one for chronic heart failure and the other for critical limb ischemia. Juventas stem cell treatment, JVS-100, uses a protein naturally produced by the heart (Stromal cell-Derived Factor 1) that attracts stem cells to damaged tissue, keeps cells from dying and restores blood flow.

Data from the trials should be available by late next year, at which point Juventas would begin seeking a partner to commercialize their treatment and talk with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about further trials, CEO Rahul Aras said. If all goes well with clinical trials, FDA approval could come as soon as 2016.

Juventas competitors include include everyone from Michigan startup Aastrom Biosciences to the Israeli public company Pluristem Therapeutics. Theyre chasing a massive market. Some estimates indicate 1 million people suffer from critical limb eschemia in the United States, which translates to a $3 billion market opportunity for companies hoping to treat it.

Aras said Juventas approach will be slightly more affordable, much less complex and easier to use by physicians than many of the other options.

Juventas, based in Cleveland, Ohio, said its new $22.2 million Series B investment round includes new investors Takeda, Venture Investors, the Cleveland Clinics Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center, Tri-State Growth Fund and Glengary, as well as some angel investors. All of its previous investors participated in this round, which was lead by Triathlon Medical Venture Partners and New Science Ventures.

Aras said Takeda has come on only as a strategic investor without any additional rights to the product or specific terms.

Previous Juventas investors include Fletcher Spaght Ventures, Reservoir Venture Partners and Early Stage Partners. The company has raised $32 million totally (including $2 million in grant money). As part of the round, Venture Investors George Arida and Somu Subramaniam of New Science Ventures will join Juventas board of directors. Takeda has received observer status.

[Photo courtest of Flickr user Aussiegall]

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New stem cell treatment for ischemia, heart failure raises enough for clinical trials

ACT Announces First Stargardt Patient Treated With Higher Dosage of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment …

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced treatment of the fourth patient, the first in the second patient cohort, in its U.S. clinical trial for Stargardts Macular Dystrophy (SMD). The surgery was performed on Wednesday, July 11 at Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia, by a surgical team lead by Carl D. Regillo, MD, FACS, director of the Wills Eye Clinical Retina Research Unit, attending surgeon in the Wills Eye Retina Service at the Wills Eye Institute, and professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University. In keeping with trial protocol, the patient was injected with 100,000 human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, as compared with the 50,000 cell dose used in the three patients of the first cohort. The outpatient transplantation surgery was performed successfully and the patient is recovering uneventfully.

It is very gratifying to have second cohort, higher-dosage patient treatment underway in our U.S. clinical trial for SMD, commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are also pleased to be working with Dr. Regillo and his team at Wills Eye Institute, a truly first-class institution that is ranked as one of the best ophthalmology hospitals in the country byU.S. News & World Report.

Initiated in July of last year, the Phase I/II trial is designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation in patients with SMD at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint. It will involve a total of 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format. As part of its RPE clinical program, the company is concurrently conducting a clinical trial for dry age-related macular degeneration and second trial for SMD in the United Kingdom.

Doubling the cell dosage marks an important milestone in our clinical programs, said Robert Lanza, MD, ACTs chief scientific officer. We look forward to continued progress and safety findings in the coming months, in both our U.S. and European trials.

Further information about patient eligibility for ACTs SMD study and the concurrent studies in the U.S. and Europe (for dry age-related macular degeneration and SMD, respectively) are available at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, with the following Identifiers: NCT01345006 (U.S. SMD), NCT01344993 (dry AMD), and NCT01469832 (E.U. SMD).

About Stargardts Disease

Stargardts disease or Stargardts Macular Dystrophy is a genetic disease that causes progressive vision loss, usually starting in children between 10 to 20 years of age. Eventually, blindness results from photoreceptor loss associated with degeneration in the pigmented layer of the retina, called the retinal pigment epithelium, which is the site of damage that the company believes the hESC-derived RPE may be able to target for repair after administration.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

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ACT Announces First Stargardt Patient Treated With Higher Dosage of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment ...

Surgeon uses adult stem cell therapy in spinal fusion clinical trial

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Surgeon uses adult stem cell therapy in spinal fusion clinical trial

The Argonaut Interview: Dr. Hyun Bae

By Gary Walker

Stem cell research remains a controversial topic throughout much of the nation, for religious as well as ethical reasons. Embryonic stem cells, which can differentiate into extraembryonic tissues and are derived from human embryos, are a particularly hot-button topic.

Scientists and researchers around the globe have been exploring the potential that adult regenerative stem cells could have on patients suffering from a variety of ailments, including spinal cord injuries, heart conditions and diabetes.

While stem cell research - especially clinic studies involving human embryos - remains highly politicized, Californians have shown their support for the controversial therapy. Voters approved a 2004 initiative that allocated $3 million toward human embryonic stem cell research.

Proposition 71 made California the largest state-funded scientific research initiative in the United States.

Three years ago, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that reversed President George W. Bushs earlier policy of prohibiting the use of federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research.

Unlike embryonic cells, the use of adult stem cells in research and therapy is much less controversial. Dr. Hyun Bae, a spine surgeon at Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, is the principal investigator in a clinical trial using adult stem cell technology. The hospital is one of only eight sites nationwide that have been chosen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the studies.

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Surgeon uses adult stem cell therapy in spinal fusion clinical trial

Dr. Jue Brings Store-A-Tooth Dental Stem Cell Therapy Service to Sugarland

Sugarland cosmetic dentist Dr. Jue from A Beautiful Smile at Lake Pointe becomes the first provider of dental stem cell therapy in Fort Bend County through Store-A-Tooth.

Sugarland, TEXAS (PRWEB) July 10, 2012

Sugarland cosmetic dentist Dr. Lance Jue from A Beautiful Smile at Lake Pointe has become the first provider of dental stem cell therapy in Fort Bend County.

Dental stem cell therapy saves stem cells from baby teeth, teeth removed for orthodontic reasons and wisdom teeth to help with future infections, injuries or diseases.

Dr. Jue works with Store-A-Tooth, which provides a Tooth Transport Kit, collects and validates the stems cells that are collected from the tooth. The cells are kept frozen until the day they are needed, at which time they are sent to the patients healthcare provider.

Dental stem cells have been used to treat periodontal disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury, stroke and liver disease. Stem cells are different from other cells because they can transform into many different cell types and divide more than other types of cells.

Dental stem cells are particularly effective because they replicate faster than stem cells take from other body tissues.

The initial cost of the Store-A-Tooth service is one-third to one-half the initial cost of storing umbilical cord blood, another source of stem cells.

A Beautiful Smile at Lake Pointe is the dental practice of Dr. Lance Jue. It has served the Houston area's restorative, cosmetic and general dentistry needs for 19 years. Dr. Jue makes an effort to listen to every patient to give him or her the appropriate treatment.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebcosmetic-dentistry/a-beautiful-smile/prweb9682301.htm

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Dr. Jue Brings Store-A-Tooth Dental Stem Cell Therapy Service to Sugarland

Stem cell cures bring challenges

A world-renowned Australian stem cell expert says it's crucial that any potential cures using the technology are available globally, particularly in developing countries.

Professor Alan Trounson heads the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, which is advancing towards a cure for conditions including HIV and diabetes.

Prof Trounson, the former director of Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories in Melbourne, said the research institute's work towards a HIV cure was about to enter human trials.

He said if the trials were successful further research would be needed to modify the technology so it could be affordably used where it is needed most, in Africa.

'I want the HIV work to go globally because it shouldn't be restricted to patients in Western (countries),' Prof Trounson told AAP.

'We're going to have to modify some of that further research to get it into a suitable treatment that we can use in Africa.

'I'm very hopeful that the industry will do that.

'We have to try and make these as available to people as possible.'

Prof Trounson said the HIV research uses blood stem cells to mimic a gene mutation found in a small proportion of the population who are immune to the virus.

The approach is based on the case of an American, known as the Berlin patient, who was cured of HIV after receiving a life-saving bone marrow transplant to treat leukaemia from a donor who carried the HIV-immune mutation.

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Stem cell cures bring challenges