Limbs saved by menstrual blood stem cellsAugust 19, 2008Cells obtained from menstrual blood, termed 'endometrial regenerative cells' (ERCs) are capable of restoring blood flow in an animal model of advanced peripheral artery disease. A study published today in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Translational Medicine demonstrates that when circulation-blocked mice were treated with ERC injections, circulation and functionality were restored. Critical limb ischemia, an advanced form of peripheral artery disease, causes approximately 150,000 amputations per year in the US. Currently there are no medical or surgical interventions that are effective in the advanced stages of the disease. ERCs are cells taken from menstrual blood that are capable of forming into at least 9 different tissue types, including heart, liver and lung. Their discovery won the 'Medicine Research Award of the Year' award for BioMed Central's Research Awards in 2007. Dr. Michael Murphy, a vascular surgeon from Indiana University and lead author of this study has already performed clinical trials with adult stem cells for patients with peripheral artery disease. He stated, "The advantage of ERCs is that they can be used in an 'off the shelf' manner, meaning they can be delivered to the point of care, do not require matching, and are easily injectable without the need for complex equipment."
The experiments were performed as a collaboration between University of Western Ontario, Scripps Research Institute, Indiana University, and several other academic centers. The ERC cell population is currently being developed by the US publicly traded company Medistem Inc, who supported these studies. "We are proud of assembling such a strong, clinically experienced team to contribute to these studies" said Dr. Thomas Ichim, CEO of Medistem. "Dr. Ewa Carrier and Suman Kambhampati are hematologists who use stem cells on a regular basis, Dr. Angle is a vascular surgeon, who like Dr. Murphy sees CLI on a daily basis, and Dr. Amit Patel has performed numerous cardiac stem cell clinical trials. With such a team that understands not only the science, but also the practical implementation, we feel we are well positioned to translate this discovery into a practical therapy in the near future". BioMed Central | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Peripheral Artery Disease Current Events and Peripheral Artery Disease News Articles Vitamin C lowers levels of heart disease biomarker, finds study, adds to debate of health benefits A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, adds to the evidence that vitamin C supplements can lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a central biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes. New devices used to reduce arterial occlusions, provide cardiac support, highlighted at TCT 2008 Research results highlighting three new devices used to reduce blockages in peripheral and coronary arteries and to provide cardiac support will be presented at the 20th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). Secondhand smoke linked to peripheral artery disease in women Secondhand smoke significantly increased the risk of women developing peripheral artery disease (PAD) in a Chinese study, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Healthy blood vessels may prevent fat growth The cells lining blood vessels are known to be important for maintaining health, but researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine believe these cells may perform an unsuspected task - controlling the development of fat cells. Still puzzling: Best care for the frail and elderly with coronary artery disease A new study from Duke University Medical Center finds that patients treated solely with medications after suffering from chest pain, heart attack or coronary artery disease are more likely to die during the first year following their initial hospitalization. Brief, intense exercise benefits the heart Short bursts of high intensity sprints-known to benefit muscle and improve exercise performance-can improve the function and structure of blood vessels, in particular arteries that deliver blood to our muscles and heart, according to new research from McMaster University. In blood vessel stents, innovative materials allow better control, delivery of gene therapy Before gene therapy becomes practical for treating human diseases, researchers must master the details of safe and effective delivery. Many Stroke, Heart Attack Patients May Not Benefit from Aspirin Up to 20 percent of patients taking aspirin to lower the risk of suffering a second cerebrovascular event do not have an antiplatelet response from aspirin, the effect thought to produce the protective effect, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown. Genetic mutation found in peripheral artery disease The finding, appearing online in the journal Circulation, is the first to document a genetic mutation linked to PAD. Although the work was done in mice, researchers say it is likely to give them new insight into how PAD develops and progresses in humans. Researchers discover new way to reverse poor circulation and heal wounds Researchers have solved a longstanding mystery about how flexing muscles "tell" nearby blood vessels that they need more blood to perform, according to a study published Feb. 15 in the journal Circulation Research. More Peripheral Artery Disease Current Events and Peripheral Artery Disease News Articles |
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