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Bone Marrow Stem Cells May Cure Eye Disease
May 11, 2007CINCINNATI—Adult bone marrow stem cells may help cure certain genetic eye diseases, according to UC researchers.
Scientists have completed a study using mice which showed that bone marrow stem cells can switch roles and produce keratocan, a natural protein involved in the growth of the cornea—the transparent, outer layer of the eyeball. This ability of marrow cells to "differentiate" into keratocan-producing cells might provide a means for treating abnormal corneal cell growth in people.
Winston Whei-Yang Kao, PhD, professor of ophthalmology, and Hongshan Liu, PhD, research scientist in the department of ophthalmology, will present their findings at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology being held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., May 9 and10.
In the laboratory, the researchers induced corneal abnormalities that mimicked genetic eye mutations and then injected bone marrow stem cells into the corneas to see if they altered the mutations.
The study showed that after only one week, the abnormal corneas of animal models injected with bone marrow stem cells began to change shape and heal.
"We found that bone marrow stem cells can contribute to the formation of connective tissues," Kao said. "If we can change the function of non-corneal bone marrow stem cells by introducing them into human corneas, we can possibly repair the loss of visual sharpness caused by mutations."
Kao and his coworkers are now planning a clinical trial. If the trial succeeds, Kao said, the procedure could help prevent blindness in future generations who suffer from genetic corneal diseases.
He added that cornea transplants have been successful to some degree but do not always eliminate the problem.
"When the donor cells disappear after a few years, the corneal disease often reoccurs," he said. "However, if we can place the stem cells inside the cornea, they will repair the lost function of the mutated gene, and stem cells can presumably renew themselves and maintain effective treatment longer, if not forever."
This study was funded by grants from the National Eye Institute, Research to Prevent Blindness, and Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation.
University of Cincinnati
In the laboratory, the researchers induced corneal abnormalities that mimicked genetic eye mutations and then injected bone marrow stem cells into the corneas to see if they altered the mutations.
The study showed that after only one week, the abnormal corneas of animal models injected with bone marrow stem cells began to change shape and heal.
"We found that bone marrow stem cells can contribute to the formation of connective tissues," Kao said. "If we can change the function of non-corneal bone marrow stem cells by introducing them into human corneas, we can possibly repair the loss of visual sharpness caused by mutations."
Kao and his coworkers are now planning a clinical trial. If the trial succeeds, Kao said, the procedure could help prevent blindness in future generations who suffer from genetic corneal diseases.
He added that cornea transplants have been successful to some degree but do not always eliminate the problem.
"When the donor cells disappear after a few years, the corneal disease often reoccurs," he said. "However, if we can place the stem cells inside the cornea, they will repair the lost function of the mutated gene, and stem cells can presumably renew themselves and maintain effective treatment longer, if not forever."
This study was funded by grants from the National Eye Institute, Research to Prevent Blindness, and Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation.
University of Cincinnati
Stem Cells Current Events and Stem Cells News RSSFirst reconstitution of an epidermis from human embryonic stem cells
Stem cell research is making great strides. This is yet again illustrated by a study carried out by the I-STEM* Institute (I-STEM/ Inserm UEVE U861/AFM), published in the Lancet on 21 November 2009. The I-STEM team, directed by Marc Peschanski has just succeeded in recreating a whole epidermis from human embryonic stem cells.
Bone Implant Offers Hope for Skull Deformities
A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Is hepatic differentiation of embryonic stem cells induced by valproic acid and cytokines?
Embryonic stem (ES) cells, known for their capacity to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into almost all types of cells including hepatocytes, have raised the hope of cellular replacement therapy for liver failure.
Paradoxical protein might prevent cancer
One difficulty with fighting cancer cells is that they are similar in many respects to the body's stem cells. By focusing on the differences, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a new way of tackling colon cancer. The study is presented in the prestigious journal Cell.
U of M researchers find 2 units of umbilical cord blood reduce risk of leukemia recurrence
A new study from the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota shows that patients who have acute leukemia and are transplanted with two units of umbilical cord blood (UCB) have significantly reduced risk of the disease returning.
The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine may also be detrimental for health
The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine is not always beneficial for human health, it may even be harmful according to a work done by the University of Granada and University of León. Scientists have demonstrated that transplantation of human mononuclear cells isolated from umbilical cord blood exerted a deleterious effect in rats with liver cirrhosis.
Penn Study Provides First Clear Idea of How Rare Bone Disease Progresses
An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, is taking the first step in developing a treatment for a rare genetic disorder called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), in which the body's skeletal muscles and soft connective tissue turns to bone, immobilizing patients over a lifetime with a second skeleton.
Iowa State University researcher discovers key to vital DNA, protein interaction
A researcher at Iowa State University has discovered how a group of proteins from plant pathogenic bacteria interact with DNA in the plant cell, opening up the possibility for what the scientist calls a "cascade of advances."
Scientists successfully reprogram blood cells
Researchers have transplanted genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells into mice so that their developing red blood cells produce a critical lysosomal enzyme -preventing or reducing organ and central nervous system damage from the often-fatal genetic disorder Hurler's syndrome.
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