 |
|
Stem cell therapies for heart disease -- 1 step closer
October 31, 2008Study provides a practical step to advance progress in stem cell therapies
New research from the University of Bristol brings stem cell therapies for heart disease one step closer. The findings reveal that our bodies' ability to respond to an internal 'mayday' signal may hold the key to success for long-awaited regenerative medicine.
Dr Nicolle Kränkel and colleagues at the Bristol Heart Institute have discovered how our bodies initiate DIY rescue and repair mechanisms when blood supply is inadequate, for example in diabetic limbs or in the heart muscle during heart attack. Their findings also provide a practical step to advance progress in stem cell therapies.
In healthy people, reduced oxygen supply can occur in certain situations, e.g. after an injury. The affected tissues release chemical messengers that 'call' to a type of circulating stem cells (EPCs) for help to re-establish blood supply via the growth of new blood vessels. A group of Bristol researchers have found that kinins, for long time considered inflammatory substances, are among the messengers supporting blood vessel growth.
In this study, published in Circulation Research, Dr Kränkel and colleagues found that EPCs respond to kinins by travelling to the target tissue and invading it to assist healing. In patients with angina, EPCs cannot respond to the distress call because they lack a kinin sensor (the 'kinin receptor') on their surface. The oxygen-starved tissue is therefore left with reduced blood supply.
In heart attack patients they saw that a proportion of the circulating EPCs were able to sense the kinin signal and respond.
Dr Kränkel, Research Associate at the Bristol Heart Institute, said: "Our findings showed that heart attack patients possess the functional cells needed to repair blood supply to their heart, but they're hidden amongst a muddle of others."
The team purified the kinin-sensitive EPCs from the total stem cell population to create an enriched sample that has huge potential as a powerful regenerative therapy.
Dr Kränkel added: "In previous clinical stem cell trials, a mixture of different types of cells were used. We've used kinin like a magnet to attract and extract the most effective repair cells from the mass of different types. This enriched sample should increase the therapeutic potential, especially in heart attack patients where quick and efficient treatment is crucial for long term outcome."
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation - one of the study's funders - said: "The team have made fascinating discoveries about our DIY repair systems and have translated them into practical use. They've intelligently employed the body's own strategies to develop a method that may take us a step closer to truly effective stem cell therapies for heart patients."
University of Bristol
In healthy people, reduced oxygen supply can occur in certain situations, e.g. after an injury. The affected tissues release chemical messengers that 'call' to a type of circulating stem cells (EPCs) for help to re-establish blood supply via the growth of new blood vessels. A group of Bristol researchers have found that kinins, for long time considered inflammatory substances, are among the messengers supporting blood vessel growth.
In this study, published in Circulation Research, Dr Kränkel and colleagues found that EPCs respond to kinins by travelling to the target tissue and invading it to assist healing. In patients with angina, EPCs cannot respond to the distress call because they lack a kinin sensor (the 'kinin receptor') on their surface. The oxygen-starved tissue is therefore left with reduced blood supply.
In heart attack patients they saw that a proportion of the circulating EPCs were able to sense the kinin signal and respond.
Dr Kränkel, Research Associate at the Bristol Heart Institute, said: "Our findings showed that heart attack patients possess the functional cells needed to repair blood supply to their heart, but they're hidden amongst a muddle of others."
The team purified the kinin-sensitive EPCs from the total stem cell population to create an enriched sample that has huge potential as a powerful regenerative therapy.
Dr Kränkel added: "In previous clinical stem cell trials, a mixture of different types of cells were used. We've used kinin like a magnet to attract and extract the most effective repair cells from the mass of different types. This enriched sample should increase the therapeutic potential, especially in heart attack patients where quick and efficient treatment is crucial for long term outcome."
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation - one of the study's funders - said: "The team have made fascinating discoveries about our DIY repair systems and have translated them into practical use. They've intelligently employed the body's own strategies to develop a method that may take us a step closer to truly effective stem cell therapies for heart patients."
University of Bristol
Stem Cell Therapies Current Events and Stem Cell Therapies News RSSResearchers find ways to encourage spinal cord regeneration after injury
Animal research is suggesting new ways to aid recovery after spinal cord injury. New studies demonstrate that diet affects recovery rate and show how to make stem cell therapies safer for spinal injury patients.
Experimental treatments restore partial vision to blind people
Two experimental treatments, a retinal prosthesis and fetal tissue transplant, restored some vision to people with blinding eye diseases. The findings, presented at Neuroscience 2009, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news on brain science and health, may lead to new treatments for the blind.
Scientists closer to making implantable bone material, thanks to new research
Scientists are closer to understanding how to grow replacement bones with stem cell technology, thanks to research published today in the journal Nature Materials.
Adult stem cell injections may reduce pain and improve walking in severe angina patients
Preliminary data presented on March 28 as a late-breaking abstract at the American College of Cardiology's 58th annual scientific session from the largest CD34+ adult stem cell study for heart disease has shown the first evidence that delivering a potent form of autologous (from the patient) adult stem cells into the heart muscle of patients with severe angina may result in less pain and improved exercise tolerance.
Stem cell infusion and hyperbaric oxygen treatment improve islet function in diabetes
A study to determine if patients with type 2 diabetes can benefit from a combination of autologous (patient self-donated) stem cell infusions (ASC) and hyperbaric (above the normal air pressure of ) oxygen treatment (HBO) before and after ASC has found "significant benefits" in terms of "improvements in glycemic control" along with "reduced insulin requirements."
Mount Sinai Hospital researcher makes stem cell breakthrough
In a study to be released on March 1, 2009, Mount Sinai Hospital's Dr. Andras Nagy discovered a new method of creating stem cells that could lead to possible cures for devastating diseases including spinal cord injury, macular degeneration, diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
Tiny 'Lab-on-a-Chip' Can Detect Pollutants, Disease and Biological Weapons
For centuries, animals have been our first line of defense against toxins. A canary in a coalmine served as a living monitor for poisonous gases. Scientists used fish to test for contaminants in our water. Even with modern advances, though, it can take days to detect a fatal chemical or organism.
Penn Researchers Unlock Molecular Origin of Blood Stem Cells
A research team led by Nancy Speck, PhD, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has identified the location and developmental timeline in which a majority of bone marrow stem cells form in the mouse embryo.
Stem cell research to benefit horse owners and trainers
In a potential breakthrough for the performance horse industry (such as racing and polo), Melbourne scientists are aiming to harness stem cells to repair tendon, ligament, cartilage and bone damage in horses.
Ability to track stem cells in tumors could advance cancer treatments
Using noninvasive molecular imaging technology, a method has been developed to track the location and activity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the tumors of living organisms.
More Stem Cell Therapies Current Events and Stem Cell Therapies News Articles
 |
Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Therapy: The Gift of Healing from Healthy Newborns by Anthony G. Payne (Author), David Steenblock (Author) We are standing at the threshold of a new and exciting medical era-an era of regeneration, rejuvenation, and renewal in which stems cells will set the stage for healing and in some cases, the restoration of injured, diseased, and debilitated tissues and organ. While stem cell therapy is still in its infancy, the field is rich with promise. The debate over the use of embryonic stem cells and the questionable effectiveness of adult stem cells have led many scientists and clinicians to concentrate their energies on umbilical-cord-derived stem cells from healthy newborn babies. While these cells are technically classifed as "adult stem cells," they appear to have greater restorative and regenerative potential than stem cells derived from adult tissues due to their young age. Human... |
 |
ABC News Nightline Stem Cell Breakthrough for Suffering Pets" Stem Cell Breakthrough for Suffering Pets: Stem cell therapy for humans has long been mired in ethical debates. But for animals, the therapy is already here. By injecting animals with their own adult stem cells, common pet maladies, like hip dysplasia and arthritis, can be improved 70 percent of the time. California's Vet-Stem laboratories has developed the groundbreaking procedure, harvesting the regenerative cells from the animals' fat deposits. Can the procedure one day be adapted for humans? Hillary Clinton: Sen. Hillary Clinton's surprise victory in New Hampshire last night was especially welcome at her campaign headquarters, a much-needed rebound after a third-place finish in last week's Iowa caucuses. Was her emotional moment before the primary the difference? Driving Smart: We... |
 |
How Adult Stem Cell Therapies Can Save Your Life: Medicine's Best Kept Secret Saved My Life by Bernard van Zyl (Author) Laced with hope and promise for sufferers of seemingly incurable illnesses, How Adult Stem Cell Therapies Can Save Your Life: Medicine?s Best Kept Secret Saved My Life reveals that non-controversial adult stem cell therapies are already available for those with serious diseases and injuries. This book is a practical guide to those seeking adult stem cell treatments with step-by-step instructions on how to use the Internet to locate suitable FDA approved clinical trials for almost all major infirmities Seven years ago, van Zyl suffered cardiac arrest; his heart literally stopped until doctors shocked his chest. Over the next ten months, after receiving bypass surgery, an angioplasty, and entering a cardiac rehabilitation program, van Zyl?s heart was still deteriorating. Turned down by two... |
 |
Alzheimer's Disease: A Wilderness Exposed (NCME Video S103) Also With: Network For Continuing Medical Education (Primary Contributor), Kenneth L. David (Primary Contributor), Allen D. Roses (Primary Contributor), Dennis J. Selkoe (Primary Contributor), Rudolph E. Tanzi (Primary Contributor) |
 |
Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes (Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine) by Shimon Efrat (Editor) Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes, one of the latest installments of the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine series, reviews the three main approaches for generation of sufficient numbers of insulin-producing cells for restoration of an adequate beta-cell mass: beta-cell expansion, stem-cell differentiation, and nuclear reprogramming. Adeptly collecting the research of the leading scientists in the field, Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes compares the merits of employing autologous versus banked allogeneic cell sources for generation of surrogate beta cells, and addresses tissue engineering and ways for cell protection from recurring autoimmunity and graft rejection. Sure to pique the interest of investigators, clinicians, and students of stem-cell application in regenerative... |
 |
Becoming Immortal: Combining Cloning and Stem-Cell Therapy by Stanley Shostak (Author) Explores how new organs might be engineered via cloning and reproductive technology to produce human immortality. |
 |
Stem Cell Medicine: The New Adult Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy for Cancer, Spinal Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's and other conditions. by Robin Smith MD MBA (Author), Suzanne Somers (Foreword) Unlock the Power of Your Own Cells Stem Cell Medicine gives an authoritive, comprehensive and understandable "crash course" in this important scientific technology, and explains how the adult stem cell--extracted from patients' own bodies--offers incredible curative possibilities, without political controversy. As a primitive cell that call transform into many different types of cells, the adult stem cell can be used to combat a variety of diseases, including multiple sclerosis, heart disease, cancer, leukemia and Lupus. Real-life sucess stories prove that this technology that seems "too good to be true" is actually changing lives. In addition to presenting remarkable evidence and true stories of stem cells treating and, in many cases, curing diseases, Stem Cell... |
 |
Cardiovascular Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy by Annarosa Leri MD (Author), Piero Anversa MD (Author), William H. Frishman MD (Author) This book is the definitive reference on two of the most exciting areas of cardiovascular research – myocardial regeneration and stem cell therapy – for the treatment of disease. Edited by pioneers in the area, with contributions from every major investigator worldwide, it covers:
This fully referenced publication presents the current state... |
 |
Stem Cell Therapy and Tissue Engineering for Cardiovascular Repair: From Basic Research to Clinical Applications by Nabil Dib (Editor), Doris A. Taylor (Editor), Edward B. Diethrich (Editor) In excess of 7 million people worldwide die of coronary heart disease each year. Only one-third of these heart attack victims recover completely. The remainder suffer the consequences of myocardial infarction and its ill fated remodeling process, resulting in chronic congestive heart failure. This malady alone is the leading cause of hospital admissions in the United States. New breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and tissue engineering have promised to reverse this dismal outcome by cardiovascular repair. World authorities, including scientists and regulatory authorities, have joined in a collaborative effort to present for the reader the first collective review of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These contributions in basic science, pre-clinical... |
 |
Handbook Of Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy by Ioannis Dimarakis (Author) This book is an impressive compilation of contributions on the hot topic of cardiac stem cell therapy from leading groups all over the world. In the assembly of chapters, a structured approach is adopted; starting from the clinician's perspective, all developments in both the experimental and clinical research areas are covered. This journey will take the reader from the bench-top to the bedside, with all chapters written by leading authorities in their respective fields, including data still in press with medical journals. So, beyond being excellent as an overall update for scientists in the field of cardiac stem cell therapy, this book will likely prove an indispensable tool for every budding scientist considering a research project within this field. Contents: The... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |