Stem cell researchers publish new approach in two leading journals
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| Leo Behie, Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Biomedical Engineering (emeritus), and research colleagues in Europe have developed a new paradigm to treat Parkinson’s disease and other disorders of the central nervous system. |
Biomedical engineering researchers have published two studies in prestigious international journals, Nature Scientific Reports and Stem Cells Translational Medicine, which outline a “very powerful” new approach to using stem cells to treat people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
This degenerative disorder of the central nervous system destroys neuron cells in the brain, making them unable to send signals out to the body to control movement. There is presently no cure for PD, which seriously impairs movement, and causes shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty in walking.
Other researchers have been working very aggressively on generating neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and transplanting them into the brains of people with PD. “This other research is leading edge, but there is potentially a significant problem with the procedure,” says Leo Behie, Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering (emeritus) and professor of chemical engineering (emeritus). Even when good tissue matches are made from iPSC donor banks presently being prepared, powerful immunosuppressants may still need to be administered that weakens a person’s immune system and make them susceptible to other diseases.
Behie and colleagues in Europe, Dr. António Salgado and Dr. Nuno Sousa, have developed a new paradigm to treat PD and other disorders of the central nervous system.
Rather than transplanting stem cells, they propose using computer-controlled bioreactors to generate a highly therapeutic mixture from human mesenchymal stem cells found in bone marrow. Then, the mixture — called a secretome — would be implanted into the brain. Since no cells are transplanted, there is no need to suppress the immune system.
The first paper, published in Nature, outlines how the researchers developed the bioprocess to produce the secretome. In the second published paper, the researchers discuss how they implanted the secretome into the midbrain of animals with induced PD.
“When the secretome is introduced into the PD brain, there is a powerful result,” says Behie. “We were able to show that the injured brains regenerated new neurons. The secretome caused the increase of dopaminergic neurons and neuronal terminals in the midbrain.”
The researchers also followed the physical behaviour of the PD test animals and “observed a significant physical recovery from the disease.”
“This is unheard of,” says Behie.
The University of Calgary’s multidisciplinary Engineering Solutions for Health: Biomedical Engineering research strategy drives solutions to our most pressing health challenges. Our biomedical engineering researchers make a significant impact in our communities by extending lives, improving quality of life, promoting independence, and providing more effective options for front-line health-care professionals.
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