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Stem cells and cancer: cancer pathways that also control the adult stem cell population
April 10, 2008Speaking today (10 April) at the UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Science Meeting in Edinburgh, Professor Alan Clarke from Cardiff University describes his work to investigate a mechanism that normally drives adult stem cells to repair the intestine. Together with his colleague Owen Sansom from the University of Glasgow, he has found that if things go wrong and a crucial gene called Apc is lost or damaged, then this normal function of controlling the adult stem cell population breaks down and ultimately leads to a tumour. This research is funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Cancer Research UK.
Professor Clarke, Cardiff School of Biosciences said: "If we are to use adult stem cells for therapy then we must understand how they behave normally and what sometimes triggers them to go wrong and potentially cause cancer. Otherwise we may never be able to fully exploit their potential, or do so safely. That is why we have chosen to research intestinal repair as an example of how adult stem cells work and what happens when the pathways that control them go wrong."
The team from Cardiff University has used genetic technology to manipulate intestinal stem cells and mimic the process by which a part of the intestine called the crypts is regenerated following high levels of DNA damage or injury. By doing this, they have found that a mechanism called Wnt signalling drives this process and is necessary to send stem cells down the route to become replacement cells in the damaged part of the intestine. Under normal circumstances Wnt signalling is turned down once the stem cells have done their job. If this does not happen, then more and more cells are added to the crypt and ultimately a tumour forms.
Professor Clarke added: "It has been known for some time that loss of or damage to Apc within the intestinal crypt cells can lead to cancer, but what hasn't been clear is what it actually does. Our work shows that Apc has a role in switching off Wnt signalling, controlling the adult stem cell population and preventing the formation of tumours."
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Professor Clarke added: "It has been known for some time that loss of or damage to Apc within the intestinal crypt cells can lead to cancer, but what hasn't been clear is what it actually does. Our work shows that Apc has a role in switching off Wnt signalling, controlling the adult stem cell population and preventing the formation of tumours."
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Stem Cells Current Events and Stem Cells News RSSGene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants
A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.
New research shows versatility of amniotic fluid stem cells
For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.
First 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.
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