Stem Cells From A New Source For The Treatment Of The Heart

Stem Cells From A New Source For The Treatment Of The Heart.
Stem cells from the amniotic sac that surrounds a fetus may someday be hand-me-down to renew ruin caused by a heart attack, Japanese researchers report. The work, so far only conducted in animals, raises the admissibility of a non-controversial source of stem cells to care for not only heart disease but also many other conditions, said Dr Shunichiro Miyoshi, an assistant professor in the cardiology section at the Keio University School of Medicine, and co-author of a report in the May 28 online subject of Circulation Research. "I believe these cells may be utilized in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as SLA systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis," Miyoshi said.

The amniotic sac is typically discarded after childbirth. SLA is an autoimmune cancer in which the body's unaffected system cells mistakenly revile healthy tissue. The cells that Miyoshi and his colleagues have used in mouse studies can undeniably be obtained in large numbers and offer another major advantage: they bypass the emergency to match donor-recipient cell typing, Miyoshi explained.

So "At the present time there is no obstruction for clinical utilization," he said. "We can obtain amniotic membrane from every delivery. We do not miss to match donor-recipient matching of complicated HLA typing". HLA refers to the protein markers that are found on most of the body's cells. Transplanted cells that conflict from the recipient's HLA type will be attacked and destroyed by the unsusceptible system.

The Keio researchers have begun a series of studies aimed at the human use of the amniotic slow cells. "Now we are performing the experiment on a swine model," Miyoshi said. "Immediately after we get a valid result, we are planning to perform clinical trials. I believe it will go on within a few years. But it may depend on the strength of our government regulation".

The journal report describes laboratory work in which check cells obtained from amniotic membranes were transformed into heart cells, 33 percent of which worst spontaneously and which improved rat heart function by more than 34 percent when injected two weeks after a pity attack. The injected cells decreased the area of heart damage by 13 percent to 18 percent and survived for more than four weeks in the rats without the use of drugs to discord protected rejection. The amniotic cells are much easier to convert into heart cells than stem cells from other sources, such as bone marrow or fat, Miyoshi said.