Our aim at the Australian Stem Cell Centre is to keep you
informed about the latest developments across the stem cell field
including recent highlights in research, clinical translation and
relevant policy and regulations.
We value your suggestions and contributions. If you wish to make a contribution please email us at info@stemcellcentre.edu.au.
STEM CELL RESEARCH NEWS
PUBLICATIONS
INDUSTRY NEWS
POLICY, REGULATION & ETHICS NEWS
Stem Cell Research News
DIRECT REPROGRAMMING OF MOUSE FIBROBLAST CELLS TO NEURONS
Researchers at California's Stanford University have discovered how to turn mouse fibroblasts directly into functioning neurons without the intermediate step of using pluripotent stem cells. Their discovery was published online in the journal Nature on 27 January 2010. The Stanford University researchers used a lentivirus to insert a combination of three transcription factors into the fibroblast cells which were then reprogrammed into neural cells over a period of 12 days. The method is very similar to that commonly used to make iPS cells. Directly reprogrammed cells represent another means for scientists to create and study neurons in the laboratory, adding yet another piece to the vast puzzle. The next important step is to achieve the same results in human cells, which the researchers are confident can be achieved.
Read more - Direct conversion of fibroblasts to functional neurons by defined factors. Thomas Vierbuchen, Austin Ostermeier, Zhiping P. Pang, Yuko Kokubu, Thomas C. Südhof & Marius Wernig, Nature advance online publication, (27 January 2010) doi:10.1038/nature08797 (subscription required).
EXPANSION OF UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD
Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle have cleared a major technical hurdle to making umbilical cord blood transplants a more widely-used method for treating leukaemia and other blood cancers. Patients suffering from leukaemia frequently require a bone marrow transplant and a key issue is finding matched bone marrow in order to avoid a potentially serious immune response. Cord blood has long been touted as a potential substitute as it is less likely to cause an immune reaction, however the volume of stem cells from a single cord has not been enough to treat a single adult patient. This new technique published in Nature Medicine manipulates a signalling pathway in the cord blood stem cells to increase their number so that there are enough to treat an adult patient. The article describes a phase I study involving ten patients with high-risk acute leukaemias which are treated with the manipulated cord blood. The researches now plan to expand to a phase II/III study.
Read more - Notch-mediated expansion of human cord blood progenitor cells capable of rapid myeloid reconstitution. Delaney C, Heimfeld S, Brashem-Stein C, Voorhies H, Manger RL, Bernstein ID Nature Medicine advance online publication (17 January 2010 ) doi:10.1038/nm.2080 (subscription required), with
commentary from BBC News.
STUDY WEIGHS BENEFITS OF TRANSPLANTS FOR LEUKEMIA
A study published in the journal The Lancet Oncology has compared haematopoietic stem cell transplants using peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation with bone marrow transplantation to treat leukaemia. Bone marrow transplants involve the collection of stem cells from the bone marrow which is a complicated procedure involving general anaesthetic and surgery. With peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, stem cells are collected from blood, avoiding some of the possible complications of bone marrow collection. The study is the first of its kind to present long term data; it found that more than nine years after transplantation overall and leukaemia-free survival remained similar, with certain patients benefiting more from bone marrow transplants.
Read more - Long-term outcome and late effects in patients transplanted with mobilised blood or bone marrow: a randomised trial, Dr Birte Friedrichs MD, Prof André Tichelli MD, Prof Andrea Bacigalupo MD, Prof Nigel H Russell MD, Prof Tapani Ruutu MD, Michael Y Shapira MD, Prof Meral Beksac MD, Dirk Hasenclever PhD, Prof Gérard Socié MD, Prof Norbert Schmitz MD, The Lancet Oncology, early online publication, (1 February 2010) doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(09)70352-3.
STEM CELLS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINING OF THE LUNG
Scientists at the Australian Stem Cell Centre have demonstrated for the first time that multipotent stem cells, able to give rise to all lung epithelial lineages, are present in the adult mouse lung. This discovery will provide a new avenue for development of corrective and regenerative therapies for chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which reduce the quality of life for millions of people and kill more than four million people worldwide every year.
The researchers are now aiming to use their approach to identify similar stem cell targets in the human lung in order to better understand how the potential of these resident stem cells can be harnessed to regenerate and repair the lung following injury or disease.
Read more - Evidence of an epithelial stem/progenitor cell hierarchy in the adult mouse lung. McQualter JL, Yuen K, Williams B, Bertoncello I, PNAS online publication, (4 January, 2010) doi:10.1073/pnas.0909207107.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ETHNIC ORIGINS OF STEM CELL LINES
The self-renewal properties of human embryonic stem cells could lead to the conclusion that a small number of cell lines would be sufficient to meet all needs. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the genetic background of human cell lines can have significant effects on experimental results. The availability of genetically diverse cell lines for cell replacement therapy and drug development could have important medical consequences.
For these reasons Scripps Research scientists initiated a study of the genetic ancestry of a number of available human embryonic stem cell lines to determine their ethnic diversity. It was discovered that the cell lines were quite limited with a disproportional number being generated from European and East Asian ethnicities. Research has shown that discordance between the ethnic origin of organ
donors and recipients can influence medical outcomes for tissue
transplantation, and that the safety and effectiveness of specific
drugs can vary widely depending on ethnic background. Greater diversity in cell samples would set the stage for more broadly relevant research by labs in academia and industry, more robust results on the safety and efficacy of potential therapies, and more successful tissue transplants.
Read more - Restricted ethnic diversity in human embryonic stem cells. Laurent LC, Nievergelt CM, Lynch C, Fakunle E, Harness J, Schmidt U, Galat V, Laslett AL, Otonkoski T, Keirstead H, Schork A, Park HS & Loring JF, Nature Method 7.1 online publication, (1 January 2010) doi:10.1038/nmeth0110-06 (subscription required).
VITAMIN C IMPROVES THE SPEED AND EFFICIENCY OF iPS CELL GENERATION
While somatic cells can be reprogrammed into iPS cells using
defined factors, the low efficiency and slow kinetics of the
reprogramming process have hampered progress with this technology. A
group of researchers from China and Austria have reported that vitamin
C enhances iPS cell generation from both mouse and human somatic cells.
Vitamin C acts in part by alleviating cell senescence, which is a
recently identified roadblock for reprogramming. In addition, it
accelerates gene expression changes and promotes the transition of
pre-iPS cell colonies to a fully reprogrammed state.
Read more - Vitamin C Enhances the Generation of Mouse and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.
Esteban MA, Wang T, Qin B, Yang J, Qin D, Cai J, Li W, Weng Z, Chen J,
Ni S,Chen K, Li Y, Liu X, Xu J, Zhang S, Li F, He W, Labuda K, Song Y,
Peterbauer A, Wolbank S, Redl H, Zhong M, Cai D, Zeng L, Pei D. Cell Stem Cell Online (8 January 2010) doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2009.12.001.
STEM CELLS TURNED INTO TEETH
Dentures could be rendered obsolete by scientists who are confident that people will soon be able to replace lost teeth by growing new ones. The new technique, developed by Professor Paul Sharpe, a specialist in the field of regenerative dentistry at the Dental Institute of King's College, London, involves taking stem cells from the patient and manipulating them to grow into teeth. After a couple of weeks, the ball of cells, known as a bud, is ready to be implanted through a small incision into the gum. Within months, the cells will have matured into a fully-formed tooth, fused to the jawbone. As the tooth grows, it releases chemicals that encourage nerves and blood vessels to link up with it. Tests have shown the technique to work in mice, where new teeth took weeks to grow.
Commentary from The Age and details on Professsor Sharpe's research.
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Some Recent Key Publications
Notch-mediated expansion of human cord blood progenitor cells capable of rapid myeloid reconstitution. Delaney C, Heimfeld S, Brashem-Stein C, Voorhies H, Manger RL, Bernstein ID, Nature Medicine advanced online publication (17 January 2010) doi:10.1038/nm.2080
Cloning Mice and Men:Prohibiting the Use of iPS Cells for Human Reproductive Cloning. Lo B, Parham L, Alvarez-Buylla A, Cedars M, Conklin B, Fisher S, Gates E, Giudice L, Gould Halme D, Hershon W, Kriegstein A, Kwok PY. Wagner R. Cell Stem Cell 6, online publication (8 January 2010) doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2009.12.004
Will iPS Cells Enhance Therapeutic Applicability of Cord Blood Cells and Banking? Broxmeyer HE, Cell Stem Cell 6 online publication (8 January 2010) doi:10.1016/j.stem.2009.12.008
Vitamin C Enhances the Generation of Mouse and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Esteban MA, Wang T, Qin B, Yang J, Qin D, Cai J, Li W, Weng Z, Chen J, Ni S,Chen K, Li Y, Liu X, Xu J, Zhang S, Li F, He W, Labuda K, Song Y, Peterbauer A, Wolbank
S, Redl H, Zhong M, Cai D, Zeng L, Pei D, Cell Stem Cell 6 online publication (8 January 2010) doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2009.12.001
Evidence of an epithelial stem/progenitor cell hierarchy in the adult mouse lung. McQualter JL, Yuen K, Williams B, Bertoncello I, PNAS online publication (4 January 2010), doi:10.1073/pnas.0909207107
Restricted ethnic diversity in human embryonic stem cells. Laurent LC, Nievergelt CM, Lynch C, Fakunle E, Harness J, Schmidt U, Galat V, Laslett AL, Otonkoski T, Keirstead H, Schork A, Park HS & Loring JF, Nature Method 7.1 online publication (1 January 2010), doi:10.1038/nmeth0110-06
Anthracycline Cardiomyopathy Is Mediated by Depletion of the Cardiac Stem Cell Pool and Is Rescued by Restoration of Progenitor Cell Function. De Angelis A, Piegari E, Cappetta D, Marino L, Filippelli A, Berrino L, Ferreira-Martins J, Zheng H, Hosoda T, Rota M, Urbanek K, Kajstura J, Leri A, Ross Fi, Anversa P, Circulation, 2010;121:276-292 published online (28 December 2009), doi: 10.1161/ circulationaha.109.895771
Cultivating regenerative medicine innovation in China. McMahon DS, Thorsteinsdottir H, Singer PA, Daar AS, Regenerative Medicine online publication (January 2010) DOI 10.2217/rme.09.78
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MESOBLAST TECHNOLOGY MAY TREAT TYPE II DIABETES
Preclinical tests conducted by Dr Ravi Krishnan at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide demonstrated that diabetic mice injected with Mesoblast’s stem cell technology saw a significant increase in blood insulin levels and a sustained reduction in blood glucose levels for the three week trial period. The treatment helped restore the balance in the pancreas between insulin producing beta cells, which reduce blood glucose, and glucagon-producing alpha cells, which increase blood glucose. Mesoblast will be moving the treatment towards the clinic as quickly as possible. For more information, see Mesoblast’s media release.
PFIZER ACQUIRES A STEM CELL THERAPY
Pfizer has licensed the rights to develop Athersys's MultiStem technology to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Athersys's cells, derived from human bone marrow, have not yet been tested in people with inflammatory bowel disease, which encompasses ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. MultiStem is however in early human testing as a treatment for heart attacks and for cancer patients receiving bone marrow transplants. Pfizer and Athersys envision the cells being infused into patients not to replace damaged tissue but rather to produce various proteins that would help existing tissues heal or prevent them from being damaged. For more information, see Athersy's media release.
NEW U.K. CENTRE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
A regenerative medicine manufacturing centre will be established at the University of Loughborough with a portion of a £70 million (about $111.49 million) U.K. Government investment. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative Medicine will carry out research and test new ideas in clinical and industrial settings. Investment from the EPSRC will total £5.3 million (roughly $8.44 million) over five years, with 28 industrial and government partners contributing an additional £3 million (approximately $4.78 million).
For more information, see the EPSRC media release and the Loughborough University’s news release.
STEM CELL PATENT DIGESTS
The UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) provides the community with regular (two-monthly) digests of both published and granted patents in the stem cell field. The UKNSCN produces these digests in partnership with the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO), who include their search strategy as an annex to each digest.
The Patent Digests are freely available for download.
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Policy, Regulation & Ethics News
iPS CELLS AND ETHICS
The discovery of iPS cells in 2006 caused great excitement for the field of regenerative medicine and was hailed by some as the answer to the ethical debate that has surrounded embryonic stem cell research. A recent opinion article in the Sydney Morning Herald by Professor John Rasko, Director of Cell and Molecular therapies at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and Dr Carl Power, research officer at the Centenary Institute explores this issue and suggests that iPS cell research comes with its own set of considerations. Far from being the 'ethical alternative' the article suggests that in fact we still know little about these cells and what they are capable of and that scientists are still trying to understand how they compare to the embryonic stem cells they are trying to mimic.
Read the article - The modern dilemma of making a whole new you by John Rasko and Carl Power in the Sydney Morning, 4 January 2010.
Read more - The journal Nature Methods has recently announced iPS cells as its Method of the Year 2009.
An article in the Cell Stem Cell journal entitled Cloning Mice and Men: Prohibiting the Use of iPS cells for Human Reproductive Cloning looks at policy changes regarding human reproductive cloning following the discovery in 2009 by research teams in China that they could produce mice that are genetically identical to iPS cell lines by tetraploid complementation, a form of cloning. The article argues that professional standards and laws around the world that ban human reproductive cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer should be revised to also forbid it by other methods, such as iPS cells via tetraploid complementation.
Read more - Cloning Mice and Men: Prohibiting the Use of iPS cells for Human Reproductive Cloning. Lo B, Parham L, Alvarez-Buylla A, Cedars M, Conklin B, Fisher S, Gates E, Giudice L, Gould Halme D, Hershon W, Kriegstein A, Kwok PY. Wagner R. Cell Stem Cell online publication (8 January 2010), doi:10.1016/j.stem.2009.12.004.
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ASCC Announces Australia First iPS Training Workshop
The Stemcore iPS cell workshop is aimed at giving participants both practical experience with generation, identification and analysis of iPS cells and to provide theoretical background of the fast developing field of iPS cell research.
2010 ASCC International Travel Awards for ISSCR - Applications Open
The next round of travel awards is for the ISSCR Annual Meeting in San Francisco, June 2010. Deadline for applications is 26 February 2010.
Scripps research team develops technique to determine ethnic origin of stem cell lines
An international team of scientists led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute, and including an ASCC Module Leader Dr Andrew Laslett, has developed a straightforward technique to determine the ethnic origin of stem cells.
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