Stem cell breakthrough announced
29 Aug 2014
Advancing the production of stem cells could dramatically improve the ability to treat disease, new research suggests.
Scientists at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UCSM) claim to have made a breakthrough in the ability to produce larger amounts of the stem cells used to treat cancer.
The findings, which could also be expanded to help treat inborn immunodeficiency and metabolic conditions and autoimmune diseases, have been published in the journal PLOS ONE.
“The biggest challenge, however, has been finding adequate supplies of stem cells
UCSM professor Yosef Refaeli
According to the study, researchers have uncovered the keys to the molecular code that appear to regulate the ability of blood stem cells to reproduce and retain their stem-like characteristics.
In advancing the discovery, the research team developed protein products that can be directly administered to blood stem cells to encourage them to multiply without permanent genetic modifications, a UCSM statement said.
Lead scientist, and UCSM professor, Yosef Refaeli said: “Use of stem cells to treat cancer patients who face bone marrow transplants has been a common practice for four decades.
“The biggest challenge, however, has been finding adequate supplies of stem cells that help patients fight infection after the procedure.”
To perfect its method, the UCSM team worked with blood stem cells obtained from cord blood, adult bone marrow or peripheral blood from adults.
“The ability to multiply blood stem cells from any source in a dish will be critical for adoption of this new technology in clinics,” said Brian Turner, one of the paper’s lead authors.
The next stage of research will see the technology move from the lab to clinical trials, with the process currently being set up by Taiga Biotechnologies.
As a result of the research, cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other types of solid tumours could be treated.
Today’s news comes just days after the Medical Research Council announced it had radicalised the way stem cells could be turned into specialised cells as a means of studying degenerative conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy.
