Hematopoietic
stem cell transplants may provide long-term benefit for people with MS (Jan 20,
2021)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210120162049.htm
Intense immunosuppression followed
by HSC transplant has been used as a treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Results from these treatments indicate that in 71% of patients undergoing this
process will not experience worsening symptoms post-immunosuppression and MSC
transplant. This does not mean that their symptoms will automatically go into
remission, which some patients in the study experienced, but that
post-transplant their symptoms will not worsen. The study looked at healthy
blood stem cell transplants to replace diseased cells in 210 patients with MS
who received transplants of this kind from 1997 to 2019. Timepoints of the
study were 6 months, 5 years, and 10 years post-transplant of MSCs. The
hallmark of the study was the 71% number of patients who experienced no
worsening of disabilities even after the 10 year time-point.
Development of new stem cell type may lead to advances in
regenerative medicine (Dec 3, 2020)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201203133900.htm
A group of researchers primarily
led by UT Southwestern has concocted a new “intermediate” embryonic stem cell
type. They developed this from multiple animal species that have been
documented as successfully producing chimeras. They used this technology to
create precursors to sperm and eggs in a culture dish. In the study detailed,
researchers were able to create intermediate PSCs from mice, horses, and
humans. The results indicate the potential for developments in reproductive
medicine and evolutionary biology.
Two anti-viral enzymes transform pre-leukemia stem cells
into leukemia (Feb 2, 2021)
https://stemcellsportal.com/news/two-anti-viral-enzymes-transform-pre-leukemia-stem-cells-leukemia
The
renewal nature of cancer stem cells can make them hard to eradicate in metastatic
tumors. Researchers at UC San Diego have been working to uncover the steps that
turn pre-cancerous and normal cells into cancerous cells and what biochemical
switches may exist there. Recently, they uncovered two enzymes capable of
transforming non-leukemia cells into leukemia cells. The enzymes are called APOBEC3C and ADAR1 and are activated by
inflammation.
FGF23 hormone from red blood cell precursors promotes
hematopoietic stem cell mobilization (Jan 29, 2021)
Erythroblasts producing fibroblast
growth factor-23 have been shown to cause stem cells to home to peripheral
blood domains. Previously, the growth factor has been known to be involved in
playing a role in the kidneys to regulate phosphate concentrations in the body.
Now, however, researchers have demonstrated that the cytokine, which is
produced by bone-embedded osteocytes, was reactive and increased in level when
stimulated by G-CSF. When G-CSF was administered there were low levels of
oxygen inside the bone marrow as well as large levels of inflammation.
[Jeremiah note: I’ve read lots of studies that actually show that reducing
oxygen levels post injury results in expedited healing process and homing of
stem cells, which leads me to believe that oxygen deprivation is part of the
inflammation chain that activates stem cell homing and may be one of “beacons”
in the signaling process.]
Scientists discover new pathway essential for blood formation (Feb
2, 2021)
https://stemcellsportal.com/news/scientists-discover-new-pathway-essential-blood-formation
The tip60 pathway has now been shown
to be essential in hematopoietic stem cell upkeep. When the protein is knocked
out, certain genes will turn off and these stem cells, along with their DNA,
will degrade and become dysfunctional. In comparison, when the gene is
upregulated, more of the stem cells are produced in response to overactive
genes activating certain pathways. This is especially imperative in
understanding diseases like Leukemia, which can result from total deprivation
of the Tip60 protein.
Reversing aging in the eye (Dec 18, 2020)
https://hsci.harvard.edu/news/reversing-aging-eye
Scientists have developed a gene
therapy to reverse age-related loss of vision along with glaucoma in mice and
are hoping to translate that research into human trials. The treatment involves
a reversal of factors to recreate the conditions of younger cells in the eye,
specifically the retina, to create youthful gene function. This is the first
evidence of being able to reprogram complex tissues, such as the nerve cells of
the eye, to an earlier age. Researchers have also been able to reverse damage
caused by glaucoma in mice. This is a new development compared to previously
only being able to halt its progression. The team achieved this by only
delivering three of the four Yamanaka factors shown to restore youthful
methylation patterns.
Link to science article for this study
because I think it’s super exciting: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2975-4
Stem Cells to the Nose Restore Mice’s Ability to Smell (May 30,
2019)
*just found but I’m following this line of research because it
seems very promising*
Precursors to smell-sensing neurons
are called globose basal cells and are engrafted into the nose. These mature
into nerve cells and form axions which connect to olfactory parts of the brain.
Mice were given nose drops containing these, which were found to engraft and
produce cells that formed neurons and regenerated the ability to smell in mice
which had lost it. The hurdle to translating this to human research is finding
the specific cells which are responsible for the upstream line in forming
olfactory cells, which is still unknown in humans.
