Stem Cell Clinic

Mayo Clinic Recommends New Routine Testing for some Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

By adminJune 27, 2014Stem Cell Clinic

Released: 6/26/2014 12:00 PM EDT Source Newsroom: Mayo Clinic Contact Information

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Mayo Clinic Recommends New Routine Testing for some Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

Newswise ROCHESTER, Minn. A Mayo Clinic-led group of researchers has discovered three subgroups of a single type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that have markedly different survival rates. These subgroups could not be differentiated by routine pathology but only with the aid of novel genetic tests, which the research team recommends giving to all patients with ALK-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). Findings are published in the journal Blood.

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video and audio are available for download on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Patients whose lymphomas had TP63 rearrangements had only a 17 percent chance of living five years beyond diagnosis, compared to 90 percent of patients whose tumors had DUSP22 rearrangements. A third group of tumors, those with neither rearrangement, was associated with an intermediate survival rate.

This is the first study to demonstrate unequivocal genetic and clinical heterogeneity among systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphomas, says Andrew L. Feldman, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pathologist and senior author on the multi-institutional study. Most strikingly, patients with DUSP22-rearranged ALCL had excellent overall survival rates, while patients with TP63-rearranged ALCL had dismal outcomes and nearly always failed standard therapy. Dr. Feldman also is a Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator.

ALCL is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but one of the more common subtypes of T-cell lymphoma, according to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. ALCL comprises about three percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 10 to 30 percent of all cases in children. Currently, all ALK-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphomas are treated the same, using chemotherapy and, in some institutions, stem cell transplantation. Results from the study make a clear case for additional testing and possible changes standard of care.

This is a great example of where individualized medicine can make a difference, says Dr. Feldman. Patients whose chance of surviving is 1 in 6 are receiving the same therapy as patients whose odds are 9 in 10. Developing tests that identify how tumors are different is a critical step toward being able to tailor therapy to each individual patient.

TP63 and DUSP22 rearrangements are examples of abnormal swapping of DNA that disturbs the way genes are arranged on a tumor cells chromosomes. These abnormalities cannot be seen in the standard microscopic evaluation that pathologists use to diagnose lymphoma, but can be visualized using a genetic test called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The authors of the study recommend performing FISH in all patients with ALK-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. Learn more about the new tests:

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Mayo Clinic Recommends New Routine Testing for some Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

Scripps Research Institute Scientists Find Potential New Use for Cancer Drug in Gene Therapy for Blood Disorders

By adminJune 27, 2014Stem Cell Clinic

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Newswise LA JOLLA, CA June 26, 2014 Scientists working to make gene therapy a reality have solved a major hurdle: how to bypass a blood stem cells natural defenses and efficiently insert disease-fighting genes into the cells genome.

In a new study led by Associate Professor Bruce Torbett at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), a team of researchers report that the drug rapamycin, which is commonly used to slow cancer growth and prevent organ rejection, enables delivery of a therapeutic dose of genes to blood stem cells while preserving stem cell function.

These findings, published recently online ahead of print by the journal Blood, could lead to more effective and affordable long-term treatments for blood cell disorders in which mutations in the DNA cause abnormal cell functions, such as in leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

Improving Gene Delivery to Blood Stem Cells

Viruses infect the body by inserting their own genetic material into human cells. In gene therapy, however, scientists have developed gutted viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), to produce what are called viral vectors. Viral vectors carry therapeutic genes into cells without causing viral disease. Torbett and other scientists have shown that HIV vectors can deliver genes to blood stem cells.

For a disease such as leukemia or leukodystrophy, where mutations in the DNA cause abnormal cell function, efficiently targeting the stem cells that produce these blood cells could be a successful approach to halting the disease and prompting the body to produce healthy blood cells.

If you produce a genetic modification in your blood stem cells when you are five years old, these changes are lifelong, said Torbett. Furthermore, the gene-modified stem cells can develop into many types of cells that travel throughout the body to provide therapeutic effects.

However, because cells have adapted defense mechanisms to overcome disease-causing viruses, engineered viral vectors can be prevented from efficiently delivering genes. Torbett said that when scientists extract blood stem cells from the body for gene therapy, HIV viral vectors are usually able to deliver genes to only 30 to 40 percent of them. For leukemia, leukodystrophy or genetic diseases where treatment requires a reasonable number of healthy cells coming from stem cells, this number may be too low for therapeutic purposes.

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Scripps Research Institute Scientists Find Potential New Use for Cancer Drug in Gene Therapy for Blood Disorders

Designer T cells fight viruses after transplants

By adminJune 27, 2014Uncategorized

WASHINGTON (AP) Bone marrow transplants save thousands of lives but patients are vulnerable to severe viral infections in the months afterward, until their new immune system kicks in. Now scientists are developing protection for that risky period injections of cells specially designed to fend off up to five different viruses at once.

"These viruses are a huge problem, and there's a huge need for these products," said Dr. Ann Leen, who leads a team at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital that found an easier way to produce these long-desired designer T cells.

Healthy people have an army of T cells that roams the body, primed to recognize and fight viruses. People with suppressed immune systems such as those undergoing a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia or other diseases lack that protection. It can take anywhere from four months to more than a year for marrow stem cells from a healthy donor to take root and start producing new immune cells for the recipient. When patients get sick before then, today's antiviral medications don't always work and cause lots of side effects.

The proposed solution: Take certain virus-fighting T cells from that same bone marrow donor, and freeze them to use if the recipient gets sick. Years of experiments show it can work. But turning the idea into an easy-to-use treatment has been difficult. A dose had to be customized to each donor-recipient pair and protected against only one or two viruses. And it took as long as three months to make.

Wednesday, Leen reported a novel technique to rapidly manufacture so-called virus-specific T cells that can target up to five of the viruses that cause the most trouble for transplant patients: Epstein-Barr virus, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, BK virus, and human herpesvirus 6.

Essentially, Leen came up with a recipe to stimulate donated T cells in the laboratory so that they better recognize those particular viruses, and then grow large quantities of the cells. It took just 10 days to create and freeze the designer T cells.

To see if they worked, Leen's team treated 11 transplant recipients. Eight had active infections, most with multiple viruses. The cell therapy proved more than 90 percent effective, nearly eliminating all the viruses from the blood of all the patients, Leen reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The other three patients weren't sick but were deemed at high risk. They were given early doses of the T cells protectively and remained infection-free, Leen said.

Next, her team is beginning a bigger step to try creating a bank of those cells from a variety of healthy donors that any patient could use, without having to custom-brew each dose.

It would take large studies to prove such a system really works.

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Designer T cells fight viruses after transplants

South Reno Veterinary Hospital is Prolonging Pet Quality of Life with Stem Cell Therapy and the Ability to Bank Cells …

By adminJune 27, 2014Uncategorized

Poway, CA (PRWEB) June 27, 2014

South Reno Veterinary Hospital and Mathew Schmitt, VMD have recently discovered the secret to prolonging a pets quality of life with the use of stem cell therapy, and the ability to bank stem cells for the future care of a pet. Dr. Schmitt and South Reno Veterinary Hospital offer stem cell therapy and stem cell banking through Vet-Stem, Inc. for small animal osteoarthritis and partial ligament tears.

As many as 65% of dogs between the ages of 7 and 11 years old will be inflicted with some degree of arthritis. For certain specific breeds the percentage is as high as 70, such as Labrador Retrievers. Barley, a Labrador mix, was treated using cells from a sample of his own fat, and some stem cells are also stored (or banked) with Vet-Stem just in case he needs future treatment with Dr. Schmitt. Those banked stem cells do not have to be used for the same use as they were originally used for either. For example, if a pet has stem cell therapy initially for osteoarthritis pain and inflammation, the banked stem cells can be used years later for an acute injury.

After rupturing the canine cruciate ligaments in both of his stifles, or hind knees, Barleys pain was managed by medication but then medication was finally not enough and he was facing the possibility of surgery. Dr. Schmitt reported shifting lameness in Barleys hind end, which was a sign of severe discomfort. Barleys owner did not want to put him through surgery on both knees. Instead, Barleys owner elected for stem cell therapy.

I fully believe stem cell therapy has significantly prolonged Barleys quality of life and I am so glad I found out about the therapy when he was injured at six years old. He just turned 13 and his legs are still doing well. It truly is a miracle of science and I tell all my friends about it, said Barleys mom.

Vet-Stem, along with countless research and academic institutions, is working to support additional uses for stem cells which may include treatment for liver disease, kidney disease, auto-immune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease in animals. These uses for stem cells are in the early stages of development and may provide additional value to the ability to bank stem cells to ensure a pets quality of life into the future.

About Vet-Stem, Inc. Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. The privately held company is working to develop therapies in veterinary medicine that apply regenerative technologies while utilizing the natural healing properties inherent in all animals. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem, Inc. pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine. The company holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells. In the last decade over 10,000 animals have been treated using Vet-Stem, Inc.s services, and Vet-Stem is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory disease, as well as organ disease and failure. For more on Vet-Stem, Inc. and Veterinary Regenerative Medicine, visit http://www.vet-stem.com/ or call 858-748-2004.

Cell scientists slow degeneration in motor neuron mice

By adminJune 27, 2014Stem Cell Treatment

TOKYO: Japanese stem cell scientists have succeeded in slowing the deterioration of mice with motor neuron disease, possibly paving the way for eventual human treatment, according to a new paper.

A team of researchers from the Kyoto University and Keio University transplanted specially created cells into mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's, or motor neuron disease.

The progress of the creatures' neurological degeneration was slowed by almost eight per cent, according to the paper, which was published on Thursday in the scholarly journal Stem Cell Reports.

ALS is a disorder of motor neurons -- nerves that control movement -- leading to the loss of the ability to control muscles and their eventual atrophy.

While it frequently has no effect on cognitive function, it progresses to affect most of the muscles in the body, including those used to eat and breathe.

British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has been almost completely paralysed by the condition.

In their study, the Japanese team used human "iPS" -- induced pluripotent stem cells, building-block cells akin to those found in embryos, which have the potential to turn into any cell in the body.

From the iPS cells they created special progenitor cells and transplanted them into the lumbar spinal cord of ALS mice.

Animals that had been implanted lived 7.8 per cent longer than the control group without the procedure, the paper said.

"The results demonstrated the efficacy of cell therapy for ALS by the use of human iPSCs (human induced pluripotent stem cells) as cell source," the team said in the paper.

Scientists slow degeneration in motor neurone mice

By adminJune 27, 2014Stem Cell Treatment

Friday 27 June 2014 17.27

Japanese stem cell scientists have succeeded in slowing the deterioration of mice with motor neurone disease, possibly paving the way for eventual human treatment.

The progress of the creatures' neurological degeneration was slowed by almost eight percent, according to the paper, which was published Thursday in the scholarly journal Stem Cell Reports.

ALS is a disorder of motor neurones -- nerves that control movement -- leading to the loss of the ability to control muscles and their eventual atrophy.

While it frequently has no effect on cognitive function, it progresses to affect most of the muscles in the body, including those used to eat and breathe.

British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has been almost completely paralysed by the condition.

In their study, the Japanese team used human "iPS" -- induced pluripotent stem cells, building-block cells akin to those found in embryos, which have the potential to turn into any cell in the body.

From the iPS cells they created special progenitor cells and transplanted them into the lumbar spinal cord of ALS mice.

Animals that had been implanted lived 7.8% longer than the control group without the procedure, the paper said.

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Scientists slow degeneration in motor neurone mice

2014 World Stem Cell Summit presented by GPI, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, and GEN

By adminJune 26, 2014Stem Cell Clinic

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

25-Jun-2014

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, June 25, 2014Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website and Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) are proud to announce that they will again serve as joint platinum media sponsors of the Genetics Policy Institute 2014 World Stem Cell Summit that will take place at the Marriott River Center, December 4-6, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas.

In a new collaborative effort in 2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. will also organize a World Stem Cell Summit panel, comprised of leading editors from their peer-reviewed journals intersecting the field to predict the most innovative translational research that will impact regenerative medicine in the next five years.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. will also publish the 2014 World Stem Cell Report as a special supplement to the peer-reviewed journal Stem Cells and Development. Dr. Graham Parker, Editor-in-Chief of Stem Cells and Development, and Bernard Siegel, Executive Director of Genetics Policy Institute (GPI), will serve as Co-Editors-in-Chief of the Report, joined by Rosario Isasi (McGill University) as Managing Editor. The World Stem Cell Report will be made available to all subscribers of Stem Cells and Development and attendees of the World Stem Cell Summit. It will also be available free online in 106 developing countries, courtesy of the Publisher, to facilitate global stem cell research.

"We are very pleased to expand our collaboration with Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., and GEN," says Bernard Siegel, Founder and Co-chair of the Summit. "The commitment by those prestigious publishers to journalistic integrity and scientific knowledge and education matches our enthusiasm to advance the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine for the betterment of humanity. We look forward to working with Graham Parker and the skilled editorial team at Stem Cells and Development to publish our annual Report. We are especially excited to have the expertise of the Liebert editors engaged on the program at the World Stem Cell Summit."

"The World Stem Cell Summit is unequivocally a paramount meeting that brings together the leaders in the field from academia, industry, and business, thereby ensuring the advancement of collaborative opportunities," says Mary Ann Liebert, publisher & CEO of both Stem Cells and Development and GEN. "Bernie Siegel and GPI also recognize the importance of public advocacy at this most important international conference. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is delighted to expand our own collaboration with Bernie Siegel and GPI and to publish the 2014 Report.

GEN Editor-in-Chief John Sterling stated, "The World Stem Cell Summit is the critical global meeting, providing the best opportunity for the GEN community to participate in the world of regenerative medicine. Our platinum media sponsorship allows GEN readers and advertisers to have a front row seat to listen and learn from the top experts on the very dynamic and expertly conceptualized Summit platform."

The Summit program delivers on the "big picture," featuring over 200 prominent scientists, business leaders, regulators, policy-makers, advocates, economic development officers, experts in law and ethics, and visionary gurus who will discuss the latest scientific discoveries, business models, legal and regulatory solutions, and best practices. The Summit is expected to attract attendees from more than 40 nations.

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2014 World Stem Cell Summit presented by GPI, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, and GEN

Thermo Fisher Showcases New Product Innovations and Best Practices to Optimize Stem Cell Discoveries at ISSCR 2014

By adminJune 25, 2014Stem Cell Medical Center

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The latest advances in innovative technologies designed to streamline the entire stem cell research workflow from pluripotent cell engineering, culturing, differentiation and characterization to cryopreservation and storage will be showcased this week during the 12thannual International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) meeting (Thermo Scientific booth #628, Life Technologies booth #829).

Thermo Fisher Scientific will host a series of customer and thought leader presentations on topics ranging from the use of Sendai virus reprogramming technology for rapid development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) for drug development applications, to industrializing pluripotent stem cells and novel platforms for culturing cells in suspension. The speakers will share new innovations being applied in labs at Harvard University, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center and Saitama Medical University.

Access to leading-edge tools that are designed to seamlessly work in combination with each other is critical for our customers to drive new discoveries, said Chris Armstrong, Ph.D., vice president and general manager, cell biology, for Thermo Fisher. Were proud to offer a deep portfolio of technologies that addresses the entire pluripotent stem cell research continuum to enable novel applications in drug discovery and human disease studies.

New product innovations at ISSCR this year include:

Thought Leader Presentations Join fellow ISSCR attendees for sponsored presentations, including: Wednesday, June 18, from 8:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. (West Ballroom C/D): Conquering Roadblocks Associated with Stem Cell Differentiation and Disease Modeling:

Thursday, June 19, from 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. (West Meeting Room) ISSCR Innovation Showcase

For more information on all Thermo Fisher activities during ISSCR, please visit Thermo Scientific ISSCR 2014 and Life Technologies ISSCR 2014.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $17 billion and 50,000 employees in 50 countries. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our four premier brands Thermo Scientific, Life Technologies, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visitwww.thermofisher.com.

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Thermo Fisher Showcases New Product Innovations and Best Practices to Optimize Stem Cell Discoveries at ISSCR 2014

Health minister 'perplexed' by Stamina order

By adminJune 25, 2014Stem Cell Doctors

Court in Catania tells Brescia hospital to perform treatment

(ANSA) - Brescia, June 24 - Italian Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin said she was "perplexed" Tuesday after a court in Catania ordered hospital authorities in Brescia to administer the controversial Stamina stem-cell treatment. The Catania order followed earlier orders from courts in Pesaro and Venice for the Brescia hospital to administer the treatment, which has been largely discredited and according to some investigations, actually harmful. Lorenzin said that such court orders undermine Italy's image internationally. "I am perplexed by what is happening, it is bizarre and undermines the image of Italy," as a nation that follows science-based treatments. She said strong action from government and parliament will be needed "for the protection of patients and their families". The Brescia Civic Hospital said Tuesday that it had started to search for doctors and nurses willing to administer the treatment as ordered by the Catania court. Stamina's credibility has long been suspect, and last fall the health ministry ruled that the Stamina Foundation would no longer be allowed to test the treatment on humans. The foundation was also stripped of its non-profit status after a study found its treatment was "ignorant of stem-cell biology". Recent investigations have shown risks of the treatment range from nausea to cancer, and as many as one-quarter of all patients treated have experienced "adverse effects". The head of the foundation, Davide Vannoni, may face indictment. In April, after study results became known, hospitals in Italy announced they had suspended the stem-cell treatment program. Lorenzin said investigators are raising serious allegations against Stamina and members of the Stamina foundation, and courts should think carefully before overriding that and ordering the treatment. But support from some patients who have used or requested the treatment remains strong. In early June, a court in the central Marche region ruled that toddler Federico Mezzina could receive Stamina treatment for Krabbe disease. The Stamina treatment involves extracting bone-marrow stem cells from a patient, turning them into neurons by exposing them to retinoic acid for two hours, and injecting them back into the patient. Supporters of the therapy thought it could be a cure for fatal degenerative nerve diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, while detractors said it was devoid of scientific merit. A panel of experts appointed by Italy's health ministry said in January it found the therapy seriously lacking in both premise and practice. Their report cited "serious imperfections and omissions in the Stamina protocol, including conceptual errors and an apparent ignorance of stem-cell biology".

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Health minister 'perplexed' by Stamina order

RIKEN press release: Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state

By adminJune 25, 2014Stem Cell Medicine

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Jun-2014

Contact: Jens Wilkinson jens.wilkinson@riken.jp RIKEN

Stem cells have the unique ability to become any type of cell in the body. Given this, the possibility that they can be cultured and engineered in the laboratory makes them an attractive option for regenerative medicine. However, some conditions that are commonly used for culturing human stem cells have the potential to introduce contaminants, thus rendering the cells unusable for clinical use. These conditions cannot be avoided, however, as they help maintain the pluripotency of the stem cells.

In a study published in Scientific Reports, a group from the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies in Japan has gained new insight into the role of CCL2, a chemokine known to be involved in the immune response, in the enhancement of stem cell pluripotency. In the study, the researchers replaced basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a critical component of human stem cell culture, with CCL2 and studied its effect. The work showed that CCL2 used as a replacement for bFGF activated the JAK/STAT pathway, which is known to be involved in the immune response and maintenance of mouse pluripotent stem cells. In addition, the cells cultured with CCL2 demonstrated a higher tendency of colony attachment, high efficiency of cellular differentiation, and hints of X chromosome reactivation in female cells, all markers of pluripotency.

To understand the global effects of CCL2, the researchers compared the transcriptome of stem cells cultured with CCL2 and those with bFGF. They found that stem cells cultured with CCL2 had higher expression of genes related to the hypoxic response, such as HIF2A (EPAS1). The study opens up avenues for further exploring the relationship between cellular stress, such as hypoxia, and the enhancement of pluripotency in cells. Yuki Hasegawa of CLST, who led the study, says, "Among the differentially expressed genes, we found out that the most significantly differentially expressed ones were those related to hypoxic responses, and hypoxia is known to be important in the progression of tumors and the maintenance of pluripotency. These results could potentially contribute to greater consistency of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are important both for regenerative medicine and for research into diseases processes."

As a way to apply CCL2 towards the culturing of human iPSCs with more consistent quality, the researchers developed dishes coated with CCL2 and LIF protein beads. This allowed stem cells to be cultured in a feeder-free condition, preventing the risk that viruses or other contaminants could be transmitted to the stem cells. While the exact mechanisms of how CCL2 enhances pluripotency has yet to be elucidated, this work highlights the usefulness of CCL2 in stem cell culture.

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RIKEN press release: Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state