PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 14-Aug-2014 Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press By targeting RNA molecules that tangle and clump in the nervous systems of patients with the most common genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), researchers have shown they can effectively limit those damaging elements in cells taken from patients. The results reported in the Cell Press journal Neuron on August 14th show that RNA is a viable drug target for the two overlapping and incurable neurodegenerative diseases. The abnormal proteins derived from that aberrant RNA might also serve as biomarkers in clinical trials to test the new ALS and FTD drug candidate and otherwise monitor the diseases, the new study finds. ALS is caused by a progressive loss of motor neurons, leading to severe impairment of mobility, speech, swallowing, and respiratory function that is usually fatal within two to five years, the researchers explained. In FTD, brain regions that support higher cognitive function are affected instead to produce disabling changes in behavior, personality, and language. At present, no effective treatment is available for either condition. However, experts believe that a better understanding of the underlying disease processes will expedite … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 13-Aug-2014 Contact: Glenna Picton picton@bcm.edu 713-798-4710 Baylor College of Medicine HOUSTON (Aug. 13, 2014) With the ability to use next generation sequencing technology, researchers have a broadened understanding of the association of genetic changes and disease causation to a much greater resolution, driving new discoveries, said clinical geneticists from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and the University of Montreal in Canada in a perspective published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. Authors Dr. Brendan Lee and James T. Lu of Baylor, and Dr. Phillippe Campeau of the University of Montreal, discuss the impact on the increased use of these technologies -- such as whole genome and whole exome sequencing which give insight into a person's complete DNA (whole genome) and all protein coding genes (exome) on the expanding collection of diseases with different genetic lesions. Now it's the genotype -- not as much the phenotype -- that drives detection of the disease, the authors noted. "Up until about the last five years, we have had relatively crude tools to interpret whether a mutation causes a disease," said Lee, professor and interim chair of molecular and human genetics at Baylor. "Typically we could only conclude … Continue reading →

Australian scientists studying zebrafish have stumbled upon what they say is one of the most significant discoveries in stem cell research. In research published on Thursday in the journal Nature, the Monash University scientists revealed that they uncovered how one of the most important stem cells in blood and bone marrow, the haematopoietic stem cell (HSC), is formed. Professor Peter Currie, from Monash University's Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, said the discovery brought researchers closer to growing HSCs in a lab. "HSCs are the basis of bone marrow transplantations as a therapy, so when a leukaemia patient receives bone marrow, it's really these HSCs that do the heavy lifting," Professor Currie said. "So when clinicians do bone marrow transplants, they need to find a matching donor recipients and we know that's a hit-or-miss procedure. "So for many years people have been trying to make HSCs in the dish, and they've had very little success in doing this." Professor Currie, who led the study, said the discovery brought scientists much closer to achieving that aim. "It's the discovery of a completely new cell type that basically is required to give instructions to the HSC to make it become what it needs to … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 13-Aug-2014 Contact: Meng Zhao eic@nrren.org 86-138-049-98773 Neural Regeneration Research A research group at the muscle physiology and cell biology unit, the Tokai University School of Medicine, Japan, led by Dr. Tetsuro Tamaki, have developed the stem cell isolation method from the skeletal muscle, termed skeletal muscle-derived multipotent stem cells (Sk-MSCs), which can differentiate into Schwann and perineurial/endoneurial cells, and vascular relating pericytes, endothelial and smooth muscle cells in the damaged peripheral nerve niche. Application of the Sk-MSCs in the bridging conduit of the long nerve gap injury resulted favorable axonal regeneration showing superior effects than healthy nerve autograft, which have been considered gold standard therapy. This also means that the sacrifice of healthy nerves, and the loss of related functions does not need. Accidental loss of main peripheral nerve route, resulted severe loss of related motor and sensory functions, and if this is the case in arms or legs, largely affects the quality of life. Therefore, application of this method to the human therapy is likely to have a great significance. The study, reported on Neural Regeneration Research (Vo. 9, No.14, 2014), also introduced that the Sk-MDSCs naturally express multiple neurotrophic and nerve/vascular growth factors. This ability … Continue reading →

6 hours ago In a boon to stem cell research and regenerative medicine, scientists at Boston Children's Hospital, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Boston University have created a computer algorithm called CellNet as a "roadmap" for cell and tissue engineering, to ensure that cells engineered in the lab have the same favorable properties as cells in our own bodies. CellNet and its application to stem cell engineering are described in two back-to-back papers in the August 14 issue of the journal Cell. Scientists around the world are engaged in culturing pluripotent stem cells (capable of forming all the body's tissues) and transforming them into specialized cell types for use in research and regenerative medicine. Available as an Internet resource for any scientist to use, CellNet provides a much needed "quality assurance" measure for this work. The two papers also clarify uncertainty around which methods are best for stem cell engineering, and should advance the use of cells derived from patient tissues to model disease, test potential drugs and use as treatments. For example, using CellNet, one of the studies unexpectedly found that skin cells can be converted into intestinal cells that were able to … Continue reading →

TO SOME people, the term stem cell may seem kind of taboo. I personally would not want something from animals injected into my system. But Im okay with non-invasive treatments, so I was interested to try out a plant-based stem cell facial. After cleansing and toning, cotton pads moistened with a clear solution were laid on my eyelids to protect them from a three-minute steaming session. This was followed by a special tool called a scrubber that kind of looks like a computer mouse, but helps to remove dead skin cells and unblock pores without using the rather painful pricking tool. Next, a rejuvenating gel was applied, followed by the plant-derived stem cell formula. A unique cooling machine was used to massage it into the skin for 10 minutes. Using this machine for cold electrophoresis helps the skin absorb serums and vitamins, without having to use injections. This was great for someone like me, who is wary of invasive treatments. The cooling machine feels like having an ice-cold metal ball massaged on the face; very invigorating, indeed. Just when I thought my skin already got a lot of pampering, the stem cell was followed by a face mask full of … Continue reading →