ScienceDaily (July 9, 2012) In research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association and published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, Saint Louis University investigator ngel Baldn, Ph.D., found that the microRNA miR-33 plays a key role in regulating bile metabolism. Further, the research suggests that, in an animal model, the manipulation of this microRNA can improve the liver toxicity that can be caused by statins. "As we learn more about the way cholesterol is moved and metabolized through the body, we have more tools at our disposal to try to limit potential side effects of cholesterol-managing drugs like statins," said Baldn, who is assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Saint Louis University. This study continues Baldn's exploration of the microRNA miR-33, which is expressed from within SREBP-2, an important gene in the body that previously had been shown to regulate cholesterol metabolism. In earlier research, the Baldn laboratory found that miR-33 plays a key role in regulating cholesterol. In particular, his team found that decreasing the levels of the microRNA (which is a piece of genetic coding) helped to raise HDL, or "good cholesterol," in an animal model. Five laboratories, including Baldan's, simultaneously reported … Continue reading →

Stem cells taken from stomach fat and used to regenerate knee tissue Charity chief says therapy potentially 'transformational' By Claire Bates PUBLISHED: 05:15 EST, 10 July 2012 | UPDATED: 05:31 EST, 10 July 2012 An injection of stem cells taken from body fat could one day help patients recover from crippling osteoarthritis. The treatment, which has been successfully trialled on animals, helps the body regrow tissue and cartilage that has been damaged by the degenerative condition. Although still at an experimental stage, experts say the therapy could be 'transformational' for the six million people in the UK who suffer from the condition. Osteoarthritis occurs when there is damage in and around a joint which the body cannot repair Early results suggest the treatment, from Australian company Regeneus, could delay the need for joint repair by 10 or 20 years. There is the possibility that it could stop the disease's progression altogether if caught early. Judith Brodie, chief executive of Arthritis Care, told Mail Online: 'This new stem cell therapy, if the trials continue to show success, could be transformational. 'While the long-term effects are unknown, and there should be caution due to the early stage of development, Arthritis Care welcomes … Continue reading →

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Stem Cell Research Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;Pediatrics / Children's Health;Biology / Biochemistry Article Date: 10 Jul 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for: Stem Cells From Amniotic Fluid Scientists from Imperial College London, and University College London Institute of Child Health, and colleagues, said their discovery means it may be possible to store stem cells from donated amniotic fluid for clinical and research use, offering a much needed alternative to the limited supply of embryonic stem cells. "These cells have a wide range of potential applications in treatments and in research. We are particularly interested in exploring their use in genetic diseases diagnosed early in life or other diseases such as cerebral palsy," said co-senior author Dr Pascale Guillot, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial. Stem cells hold promise for regenerative medicine because they have the potential to become virtually any cell in the body. The current "gold standard" of human stem cells is the human embryonic stem cell (hESC), which is harvested from human embryos. However, researchers and clinicians are keen to find alternatives to hESCs because of ethical concerns about using human embryos and also because of … Continue reading →

Public release date: 6-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Brianna Deane bdeane@dentistry.ucla.edu 310-206-0835 University of California - Los Angeles The ability to control whether certain stem cells ultimately become bone cells holds great promise for regenerative medicine and potential therapies aimed at treating metabolic bone diseases. Now, UCLA School of Dentistry professor and leading cancer scientist Dr. Cun-Yu Wang and his research team have made a significant breakthrough in that direction. The scientists have discovered two key epigenetic regulating genes that govern the cell-fate determination of human bone marrow stem cells. Wang's new research is featured on the cover of the July 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, the affiliated journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. The groundbreaking study grew out of Wang's desire to better understand the epigenetic regulation of stem cell differentiation, in which the structure of genes is modified while the sequence of the DNA is not. He and his team found that KDM4B and KDM6B, two gene-activating enzymes, can promote stem cells' differentiation into bone cells by removing methyl markers from histone proteins. This process occurs through the activation of certain genes favoring a commitment to one lineage and the concurrent … Continue reading →

Stem cells taken from stomach fat and used to regenerate knee tissue Charity chief says therapy potentially 'transformational' By Claire Bates PUBLISHED: 05:15 EST, 10 July 2012 | UPDATED: 05:31 EST, 10 July 2012 An injection of stem cells taken from body fat could one day help patients recover from crippling osteoarthritis. The treatment, which has been successfully trialled on animals, helps the body regrow tissue and cartilage that has been damaged by the degenerative condition. Although still at an experimental stage, experts say the therapy could be 'transformational' for the six million people in the UK who suffer from the condition. Osteoarthritis occurs when there is damage in and around a joint which the body cannot repair Early results suggest the treatment, from Australian company Regeneus, could delay the need for joint repair by 10 or 20 years. There is the possibility that it could stop the disease's progression altogether if caught early. Judith Brodie, chief executive of Arthritis Care, told Mail Online: 'This new stem cell therapy, if the trials continue to show success, could be transformational. 'While the long-term effects are unknown, and there should be caution due to the early stage of development, Arthritis Care welcomes … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (July 9, 2012) The ability to control whether certain stem cells ultimately become bone cells holds great promise for regenerative medicine and potential therapies aimed at treating metabolic bone diseases. Now, UCLA School of Dentistry professor and leading cancer scientist Dr. Cun-Yu Wang and his research team have made a significant breakthrough in that direction. The scientists have discovered two key epigenetic regulating genes that govern the cell-fate determination of human bone marrow stem cells. Wang's new research is featured on the cover of the July 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, the affiliated journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. The groundbreaking study grew out of Wang's desire to better understand the epigenetic regulation of stem cell differentiation, in which the structure of genes is modified while the sequence of the DNA is not. He and his team found that KDM4B and KDM6B, two gene-activating enzymes, can promote stem cells' differentiation into bone cells by removing methyl markers from histone proteins. This process occurs through the activation of certain genes favoring a commitment to one lineage and the concurrent deactivation of genes favoring other lineages. The findings imply that chemical manipulation of these gene-activating enzymes may … Continue reading →

K.K.Yankopolus Photo by Allie Garza Dr. Zannos Grekos, a cardiologist whose practice is in Bonita Springs, speaks with a seminar attendant after one of his educational seminars about stem cell treatment, using one's own stem cells, for treating heart disease and other medical conditions, on Monday, March 14, 2011, at the Collier County Library. Allie Garza/Staff FORT MYERS A Fort Myers physician whose license was restricted for his involvement in a controversial stem cell treatment on a patient who died has a settlement in the works with state regulators. Terms of the deal between Dr. Konstantine Yankopolus and the Florida Department of Health weren't immediately available Monday. "It's in draft form," said Yankopolus' attorney, Steven Ramunni, of Fort Myers. Yankopolus said Monday he expects the restriction on his license to be lifted soon. "I want to stay in the world of service," he said. "Let's move on." An obstetrician for years before switching to a general practice, Yankopolus assisted Dr. Zannos Grekos, a Bonita Springs cardiologist, on March 2 in a stem cell procedure on a 77-year-old Indiana man. The patient, Richard Poling, came to Grekos for stem cell treatment against his pulmonary hypertension. Grekos accepted the patient even though … Continue reading →