Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Stem Cells Help Cerebral Palsy! Sophia #39;s Story
Meet Sophia. She came to Dr. Steenblock for stem cell therapy to help her Cerebral Palsy. Amazingly, the patient had great results after only one stem cell t...
By: David Steenblock
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Stem Cells Help Cerebral Palsy! Sophia's Story - Video
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:45 pm
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
24-Jan-2014
Contact: Sandy Van sandy@prpacific.com 808-526-1708 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
LOS ANGELES (Jan. 24, 2014) An early-phase clinical trial of an experimental vaccine that targets cancer stem cells in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor, has been launched by researchers at Cedars-Sinai's Department of Neurosurgery, Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Brain Tumor Center and Department of Neurology.
Like normal stem cells, cancer stem cells have the ability to self-renew and generate new cells, but instead of producing healthy cells, they create cancer cells. In theory, if the cancer stem cells can be destroyed, a tumor may not be able to sustain itself, but if the cancer originators are not removed or destroyed, a tumor will continue to return despite the use of existing cancer-killing therapies.
The Phase I study, which will enroll about 45 patients and last two years, evaluates safety and dosing of a vaccine created individually for each participant and designed to boost the immune system's natural ability to protect the body against foreign invaders called antigens. The drug targets a protein, CD133, found on cancer stem cells of some brain tumors and other cancers.
Immune system cells called dendritic cells will be derived from each patient's blood, combined with commercially prepared glioblastoma proteins and grown in the laboratory before being injected under the skin as a vaccine weekly for four weeks and then once every two months, according to Jeremy Rudnick, MD, neuro-oncologist in the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neurology, the study's principal investigator.
Dendritic cells are the immune system's most powerful antigen-presenting cells those responsible for helping the immune system recognize invaders. By being loaded with specific protein fragments of CD133, the dendritic cells become "trained" to recognize the antigen as a target and stimulate an immune response when they come in contact.
The cancer stem cell study is the latest evolution in Cedars-Sinai's history of dendritic cell vaccine research, which was introduced experimentally in patient trials in 1998.
Cedars-Sinai's brain cancer stem cell study is open to patients whose glioblastoma multiforme has returned following surgical removal. Potential participants will be screened for eligibility requirements and undergo evaluations and medical tests at regular intervals. The vaccine and study-related tests and follow-up care will be provided at no cost to patients. For more information, call 1-800-CEDARS-1 or contact Cherry Sanchez by phone at 310-423-8100 or email cherry.sanchez@cshs.org.
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Cedars-Sinai clinical trial studies vaccine targeting cancer stem cells in brain cancers
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Jan. 23, 2014 Stem cells can turn into heart cells, skin cells can mutate to cancer cells; even cells of the same tissue type exhibit small heterogeneities. Scientists use single-cell analyses to investigate these heterogeneities. But the method is still laborious and considerable inaccuracies conceal smaller effects. Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, at the Technische Unitversitaet Muenchen and the University of Virginia (USA) have now found a way to simplify and improve the analysis by mathematical methods.
Each cell in our body is unique. Even cells of the same tissue type that look identical under the microscope differ slightly from each other. To understand how a heart cell can develop from a stem cell, why one beta-cell produces insulin and the other does not, or why a normal tissue cell suddenly mutates to a cancer cell, scientists have been targeting the activities of ribonucleic acid, RNA.
Proteins are constantly being assembled and disassembled in the cell. RNA molecules read blueprints for proteins from the DNA and initiate their production. In the last few years scientists around the world have developed sequencing methods that are capable of detecting all active RNA molecules within a single cell at a certain time.
At the end of December 2013 the journal Nature Methods declared single-cell sequencing the "Method of the Year." However, analysis of individual cells is extremely complex, and the handling of the cells generates errors and inaccuracies. Smaller differences in gene regulation can be overwhelmed by the statistical "noise."
Scientists led by Professor Fabian Theis, Chair of Mathematical modeling of biological systems at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen and director of the Institute of Computational Biology at the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, have now found a way to considerably improve single-cell analysis by applying methods of mathematical statistics.
Instead of just one cell, they took 16-80 samples with ten cells each. "A sample of ten cells is much easier to handle," says Professor Theis. "With ten times the amount of cell material, the influences of ambient conditions can be markedly suppressed." However, cells with different properties are then distributed randomly on the samples. Therefore Theis's collaborator Christiane Fuchs developed statistical methods to still identify the single-cell properties in the mixture of signals.
On the basis of known biological data, Theis and Fuchs modeled the distribution for the case of genes that exhibit two well-defined regulatory states. Together with biologists Kevin Janes and Sameer Bajikar at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (USA), they were able to prove experimentally that with the help of statistical methods samples containing ten cells deliver results of higher accuracy than can be achieved through analysis of the same number of single cell samples.
In many cases, several gene actions are triggered by the same factor. Even in such cases, the statistical method can be applied successfully. Fluorescent markers indicate the gene activities. The result is a mosaic, which again can be checked to spot whether different cells respond differently to the factor.
The method is so sensitive that it even shows one deviation in 40 otherwise identical cells. The fact that this difference actually is an effect and not a random outlier could be proven experimentally.
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Tracing unique cells with mathematics
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Jan. 22, 2014 Scientists have known for years that stem cells in male and female sexual organs are regulated differently by their respective hormones. In a surprising discovery, researchers at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) and Baylor College of Medicine have found that stem cells in the blood-forming system -- which is similar in both sexes -- also are regulated differently by hormones, with estrogen proving to be an especially prolific promoter of stem cell self-renewal.
The research, published in Nature, raises several intriguing possibilities for further investigation that might lead to improved treatments for blood cancers and increased safety and effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Before the finding, blood-forming stem cells were thought to be regulated similarly in both males and females, according to the paper's senior author, Dr. Sean Morrison, Director of CRI, Professor of Pediatrics, and the Mary McDermott Cook Chair in Pediatric Genetics at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
However, while working in Dr. Morrison's laboratory as postdoctoral fellows, Dr. Daisuke Nakada, the first and co-corresponding author of the study, and Dr. Hideyuki Oguro discovered that blood-forming stem cells divide more frequently in females than in males due to higher estrogen levels. The research, conducted using mice, demonstrated that the activity of blood-forming stem cells was regulated by systemic hormonal signals in addition to being regulated by local changes within the blood-forming system.
"This discovery explains how red blood cell production is augmented during pregnancy," said Dr. Morrison. "In female mice, estrogen increases the proliferation of blood-forming stem cells in preparation for pregnancy. Elevated estrogen levels that are sustained during pregnancy induce stem cell mobilization and red cell production in the spleen, which serves as a reserve site for additional red blood cell production."
The study involved treating male and female mice over a period of several days with amounts of estrogen needed to achieve a level consistent with pregnancy. When an estrogen receptor that is present within blood-forming stem cells was deleted from those cells, they were no longer able to respond to estrogen, nor were they able to increase red blood cell production. The results demonstrate that estrogen acts directly on the stem cells to increase their proliferation and the number of red blood cells they generate.
"If estrogen has the same effect on stem cells in humans as in mice, then this effect raises a number of possibilities that could change the way we treat people with diseases of blood cell-formation," said Dr. Morrison. "Can we promote regeneration in the blood-forming system by administering estrogen? Can we reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy to the blood-forming system by taking into account estrogen levels in female patients? Does estrogen promote the growth of some blood cancers? There are numerous clinical opportunities to pursue."
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Scientists find estrogen promotes blood-forming stem cell function
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Jan. 23, 2014 The Wnt/-catenin signaling pathway and microRNA 335 are instrumental in helping form differentiated progenitor cells from stem cells. These are organized in germ layers and are thus the origin of different tissue types, including the pancreas and its insulin-producing beta cells. With these findings, Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen scientists have discovered key molecular functions of stem cell differentiation which could be used for beta cell replacement therapy in diabetes. The results of the two studies were published in the journal Development.
The findings of the scientists of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research (IDR) at Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen (HMGU) provide new insights into the molecular regulation of stem cell differentiation. These results reveal important target structures for regenerative therapy approaches to chronic diseases such as diabetes.
During embryonic development, organ-specific cell types are formed from pluripotent stem cells, which can differentiate into all cell types of the human body. The pluripotent cells of the embryo organize themselves at an early stage in germ layers: the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. From these three cell populations different functional tissue cells arise, such as skin cells, muscle cells, and specific organ cells.
Various signaling pathways are important for this germ layer organization, including the Wnt/-catenin signaling pathway. The cells of the pancreas, such as the beta cells, originate from the endoderm, the germ layer from which the gastrointestinal tract, the liver and the lungs also arise. Professor Heiko Lickert, director of the IDR, in collaboration with Professor Gunnar Schotta of LMU Mnchen, showed that the Wnt/-catenin signaling pathway regulates Sox17, which in turn regulates molecular programs that assign pluripotent cells to the endoderm, thus inducing an initial differentiation of the stem cells. In another project Professor Lickert and his colleague Professor Fabian Theis, director of the Institute of Computational Biology (ICB) at Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen, discovered an additional mechanism that influences the progenitor cells. miRNA-335, a messenger nucleic acid, regulates the endodermal transcription factors Sox17 and Foxa2 and is essential for the differentiation of cells within this germ layer and their demarcation from the adjacent mesoderm. The concentrations of the transcription factors determine here whether these cells develop into lung, liver or pancreas cells. To achieve these results, the scientists combined their expertise in experimental research with mathematical modeling.
"Our findings represent two key processes of stem cell differentiation," said Lickert. "With an improved understanding of cell formation we can succeed in generating functional specialized cells from stem cells. These could be used for a variety of therapeutic approaches. In diabetes, we may be able to replace the defective beta cells, but regenerative medicine also offers new therapeutic options for other organ defects and diseases."
Diabetes is characterized by a dysfunction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Regenerative treatment approaches aim to renew or replace these cells. An EU-funded research project ('HumEn'), in which Lickert and his team are participating, shall provide further insights in the field of beta-cell replacement therapy.
The aim of research at Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen, a partner in the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), is to develop new approaches for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of major common diseases such as diabetes mellitus.
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Insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Glendale, Arizona (PRWEB) January 24, 2014
Floppy, a nine year old Dachshund, struggled to get up from a laying position before his recent stem cell therapy at Happy Valley Animal Hospital. The pain from arthritis was so bad he was reluctant to move much at all, even when encouraged by his family. This holiday season Floppys owners gifted him with quality of life. Now hes bringing in the New Year with less pain and more ability to run and play again.
Floppy had been suffering from osteoarthritis in his hips and knees long enough that it was affecting other joints in his hind end. He had difficulty getting up after sitting, limped, and exhibited stiffness. Happy Valley Animal Hospitals Dr. Victor Saltzman determined Floppy was a great candidate for stem cell therapy using Vet-Stem services, and in early December scheduled Floppy for a small fat tissue collection to start the process. Floppys fat was overnighted to Vet-Stems lab in San Diego, California where it was processed into injectable doses of Floppys own stem cells. In 48 hours Dr. Saltzman received the doses back and had started Floppy on his way to recovery.
We are extremely pleased with the results. The level of pain and stiffness has decreased dramatically. Its almost like hes a puppy again! There is a night and day difference in his ability to move around and perform everyday tasks. He will occasionally get sore after a long day of activity, but its 1000% better than before his stem cell therapy, the Sobols.
Just two weeks after the stem cell injections Dr. Saltzman and the team at Happy Valley Animal Hospital received a video of Floppy running happily around the backyard, enjoying his recovered range of motion and obvious lack of pain. Although results can vary, the first peer reviewed double-blinded multicenter study for adipose-derived (fat originating) stem cell therapy use in osteoarthritis of the hip in dogs showed positive results for lameness, pain, and range of motion. Similar results have been obtained for elbows and stifles in dogs, of which stifles were a secondary area of arthritis and pain for Floppy.
Stem cells decrease pain and inflammation. Stem cells are multi-potent and can differentiate into tendon, ligament, bone, cartilage, and other tissue. The hope is that Floppys stem cells will also regenerate tissues in the joints that are causing him pain.
Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. The privately held company is working to develop therapies in veterinary medicine that apply regenerative technologies while utilizing the natural healing properties inherent in all animals. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem, Inc. pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine. For more on Vet-Stem, Inc. and Veterinary Regenerative Medicine visit http://www.vet-stem.com.
About Happy Valley Animal Hospital The goal of the team at Happy Valley Animal Hospital is to provide compassionate, preventive, and top quality medical and surgical veterinary care. With the most up-to-date equipment, the team at Happy Valley Animal Hospital can provide clients and their pets in the local community with the best healthcare and service possible. By offering and maintaining these goals, the team at Happy Valley Animal Hospital hopes to enhance the lives of their clients by allowing their pets to live long, happy lives. As a team, Happy Valley Animal Hospital always considers the client perspective and tries to put themselves in their shoes or paws.
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Happy Valley Animal Hospital of Arizona Pet Vet Helps a Local Pet Start the New Year with the Resolution; Play More
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 8:44 am
Stem Cells Help Cerebral Palsy! Sophia #39;s Story
Meet Sophia. She came to Dr. Steenblock for stem cell therapy to help her Cerebral Palsy. Amazingly, the patient had great results after only one stem cell t...
By: David Steenblock
See more here:
Stem Cells Help Cerebral Palsy! Sophia's Story - Video
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 8:44 am
Save A Life - Register As A Stem Cell Donor - http://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk
You can save a Life. It could be our daughter Margot #39;s, or someone else #39;s. Register. Swab. Save a life. You can make a real difference. It only takes a few m...
By: Team Margot - Uncle Ivor
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Save A Life - Register As A Stem Cell Donor - http://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk - Video
Posted: January 24, 2014 at 8:44 am
Groundbreaking stem cell treatment approved for MS patients
Dr. Jon LaPook goes inside the trial and approval process for an experimental treatment using stem cells designed to make Multiple Sclerosis patients better....
By: CBS Evening News
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Groundbreaking stem cell treatment approved for MS patients - Video
Posted: January 23, 2014 at 7:42 pm
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) January 23, 2014
Bioquark, Inc., (http://www.bioquark.com) a company focused on the development of combinatorial biologics for regeneration and disease reversion in human organs and tissues, today announces the appointment of Dr. Joel I. Osorio MD, as VP of International Clinical Development.
We are honored to have someone with Dr. Osorios experience join us as we execute on a globalized clinical strategy, said Ira S. Pastor, CEO, Bioquark Inc. His broad clinical experience in functional anti-aging regenerative and stem cell based medicine make him a very valuable addition to the Bioquark team.
Dr. Osorio brings over 9 years of experience in medical practice, both in the private practice and public medical settings. Currently the medical director of the medical spa Bamboo Rejuvenecimiento Facial y Coporal (http://www.bamboobelleza.com), Dr. Osorio has served in capacities in both private and public practice, as a hospital staff physician, and as emergency health services coordinator for a variety of private and public institutions throughout Mexico. He earned MD degrees at both Westhill University and the National Autonomous University of Mexico as a medical surgeon, has diplomas in aesthetic medicine from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, is an Advance Fellow by the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine (http://www.a4m.com/joel-osorio-bamboo-rejuvenecimiento-facial-y-corporal-naucalpan-estado-de-mxico.html), is a visiting scholar at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in dermatology, a fellow in stem cell medicine by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and University of South Florida, and currently is completing additional masters work in metabolic and nutrition sciences at University of South Florida. Dr. Osorio is also a member of the round table of ReGeNeRaTe Laboratories Mexico Committee (a DNAge-Lab Company), and has been actively working in the applied stem cell field since 2007. In 2011, Dr. Osorio became a member of the International Cellular Medicine Society, is a PRP certified practitioner in aesthetic and regenerative fields, and from 2009 to 2012 managed the blood bank at Ruben Lenero public hospital. Dr. Osorio frequently appears on Mexican national television programs and interviews regularly as a speaker on the topic of anti-aging (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4SvkBTS-P0) as well as contributes in various magazines and periodicals on anti-aging related subjects.
I am very excited about the candidates being developed at Bioquark and their very novel approach to human regeneration and disease reversion, as well as the broader biological programs focused on anti-aging," said Dr. Osorio. "I'm pleased to be joining the team and am looking forward to playing a more active role in this truly transformational platform."
About Bioquark, Inc. Bioquark Inc. (http://www.bioquark.com) is focused on the development of biologic based products that have the ability to alter the regulatory state of human tissues and organs, with the goal of curing a wide range of diseases, as well as effecting complex regeneration. Bioquark is developing biological pharmaceutical candidates, as well as products for the global consumer health and wellness market segments.
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Bioquark Inc. Appoints Dr. Joel I. Osorio MD, Specialist in Functional Anti-Aging Regenerative and Stem Cell Medicine ...
