Osteoporosis in mice reversed with single injection of stem cells

Many of us have osteoporosis, I decided to post this.

MEDICAL

Six months after being injected with the stem cells, the scientists observed a healthy functional bone in place of the damaged one (Credit: FromSandToGlass/CC 2.0).

Nick Lavars  March 18, 2016

Age-related osteoporosis, where the bone structure deteriorates and becomes more vulnerable to fracture, is said to affect more than 200 million people worldwide. Drugs are available to treat or delay the condition, but a cure has remained elusive. Much-needed help may now be on the way, however, with scientists discovering healthy bone structure can be restored in mice with a single injection of stem cells. 

Researchers at the University of Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital had previously found a causal effect between mice developing age-related osteoporosis and a deficiency in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). One of the promising attributes of MSCs is that, while they can grow into different cells in the body just like other stem cells, they can be transplanted without the need for a match.

"We reasoned that if defective MSCs are responsible for osteoporosis, transplantation of healthy MSCs should be able to prevent or treat osteoporosis," says William Stanford, senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and Professor at the University of Ottawa.

To put this reasoning to the test, the scientists injected MSCs into mice with the condition. Six months later, which is one quarter of the life span of the animal, they observed a healthy functional bone in place of the damaged one.

"We had hoped for a general increase in bone health," says John E. Davies, co-author of the study. "But the huge surprise was to find that the exquisite inner 'coral-like' architecture of the bone structure of the injected animals – which is severely compromised in osteoporosis – was restored to normal."

According to the scientists, these results could form the basis for new ways of treating or indefinitely postponing the onset of osteoporosis. The team is currently waiting on the results of trials where elderly patients were injected with MSCs to investigate various outcomes. If these show improvements to bone health, the team hopes dedicated trials will commence in the next five years. 

The research was published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

Source: University of Toronto

http://www.gizmag.com/single-injection-stem-cells-osteoporosis/42360/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=0572709d9c-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-0572709d9c-92059757

International Stem Cell Corp.'s (ISCO) Virgin Birth Technology holds the Promise of Stemming Progress of Parkinson's Disease

March 18, 2016 (Investorideas.com newswire) 

We are apt to scoff at stories of virgin birth, and the term itself is something of an oxymoron, since the virgin usually has had some ‘knowledge’ of a male progenitor. Many of the classical Greco-Roman heroes, like Hercules, who were the product of a virgin birth, were fathered by gods, as was the Christ, according to Christian dogma. But virgin birth or, at least, reproduction that takes place in the absence of fertilization, called parthenogenesis, occurs in nature all the time, both in plants (e.g. roses and orange trees) and animals (some kinds of ants, bees and wasps). Now, researchers have discovered ways of engendering parthenogenesis in mammals.

Early work on stem cells involved human embryos and, consequently, gave rise to ethical debate and controversy that threatened further research efforts. But in a ground-breaking paper titled 'Nonhuman Primate Parthenogenetic Stem Cells' (http://dtn.fm/3aP4i), published in 2003, Kent Vrana et al, wrote about their stem cell work using monkeys and reported that 'stem cells were created via parthenogenetic activation of eggs'. This use of non-human cells provided a route out of the moral dilemma. Then, building on the insights of Vrana and his colleagues, a team at the privately-held Stemron Corporation of Rockville, Maryland, led by David Wininger reported in 'Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Discarded Embryos' (http://dtn.fm/o8ZcS) that it had 'grown parthenogenetic human embryos to the blastocyst stage at which stem cells can be obtained' and that 'cells taken from one of the embryos survived for a few days'.

An April 2003 story in New Scientist titled 'Virgin birth method promises ethical stem cells' (http://dtn.fm/e2eWb), commenting on the Wininger breakthroughs, discusses how this is possible. Unfertilized eggs have two complete sets of chromosomes and during fertilization one set is discarded. 'But an electric or chemical shock can make the egg develop as if fertilized and retain the extra set'. In parthenogenesis, an unfertilized egg keeps two sets of chromosomes and begins developing as if it had been fertilized and thus 'produces embryos that could never become human beings'. The destruction of 'these embryos to obtain stem cells would avoid the ethical concerns that have led to restrictions or bans on embryonic stem cell research in many countries.'

One area involving stem cells that shows remarkable promise is in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. According to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute HSCI), Parkinson's is 'associated with the death of cells in a part of the brain… which produces the neurotransmitter dopamine'. Researchers at the HSCI have 'orchestrated the transformation by biologically reprogramming the mature skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, and then encouraging the stem cells to become dopaminergic neurons. Neurons were also made from skin cells collected from individuals with genetic mutations associated with high risk for Parkinson's disease'.

International Stem Cell Corporation's (OTCQB: ISCO) UniStemCell for Parkinson's has completed the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) Investigational New Drug (IND) phase, and the company announced recently that it had received authorization to initiate a phase I/IIa clinical trial of human parthenogenetic stem cells-derived neural stem cells (ISC-hpNSC) for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

The phase I/IIa clinical study, which will be performed at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, is a dose escalation safety and preliminary efficacy study of ISC-hpNSC intracranially transplanted into patients with moderate to severe Parkinson's disease. The open-label, single center, uncontrolled clinical trial will evaluate three different dose regimens of 30,000,000 to 70,000,000 neural cells. A total of 12 participants with moderate to severe Parkinson's disease will be treated. Following transplantation, the patients will be monitored for 12 months at specified intervals to evaluate the safety and biologic activity of ISC-hpNSC. PET scans will be performed at baseline, as part of the screening assessment, and at 6 and 12 months after surgical intervention. Clinical responses compared to baseline after the administration of ISC-hpNSC will be evaluated using various neurological assessments.

In announcing the study, Russell Kern, PhD, ISCO's executive vice president and chief scientific officer commented, “We are the first company in the world to conduct clinical trials of human pluripotent stem cells based product for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. We believe the outcome of the study will produce findings in-line with our preclinical studies, where we demonstrated not only safety of our proprietary neural stem cells, but also their functional efficacy. The cells were able to successfully integrate into the brain and provide a significant increase of dopamine levels in the nigrostriatal system”

This is welcome news. As the Harvard Stem Cell Institute reminds us: 'Approximately one to two percent of the population over the age of sixty receives a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, although scientists believe that may be a very conservative estimate (and) at least one million Americans are currently known to be living with the condition.'

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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http://www.investorideas.com/news/2016/biotech/03181.asp

Parkinson's slows down thinking process more than speech

London: Impairment in mental skills could affect the conversational ability of people with Parkinson's more than the physical speech problems, finds a new research.

March 18, 2016

The study revealed that physical speech problems are often less of a problem for patients than having the cognitive ability to keep up with conversations.

A patient's ability, for example, not being able to think quickly enough to keep up with conversations or not being able to find the right words forms a barrier to communication more than experiencing physical speech problems.

"Around 70 percent of people with Parkinson's have problems with speech and communication, which can really impact their quality of life," said lead author Maxwell Barnish from the University of Aberdeen in Britain.

The results showed that both cognitive status and physical speech problems are associated with everyday communication problems among people with Parkinson's. 

However, patients who had greater cognitive difficulties had more problems communicating. 

Though patients with less clear speech also had trouble communicating, this factor had less of an impact on everyday communication.

The findings of the study appear in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. 

The research team undertook a systematic review with 12 relevant studies involving 222 patients.

"What this research tells us is that speech and language therapists need to assess the cognitive problems of people with Parkinson's as well as their speech clarity when trying to improve everyday communication," said one of the researchers Katherine Deane from the University of East Anglia in Britain.

It may be that patients who are struggling with thinking quickly need different communication strategies to help them in everyday life," added Deane.

Due to global ageing populations, Parkinson's should be considered a major healthcare challenge of the future, and it will become increasingly important to prioritise the needs of patients in research, the researchers suggested.

http://health.einnews.com/article/317161864/uJgRTmz5mQwbImO4

Parkinson's Patients, Study Says

FRIDAY March 18, 2016

Declines in thinking skills could have a greater impact on Parkinson's disease patients' ability to converse than physical problems, according to a British study.

"Around 70 percent of people with Parkinson's have problems with speech and communication, which can really impact their quality of life," said lead investigator Maxwell Barnish, formerly of the University of East Anglia, in England.

"Researchers and clinicians have in the past focused on the physical problems patients have with making their speech clear," he explained in a university news release. "But patients themselves say the problems are more complex and are more to do with . . . not being able to think quickly enough to keep up with conversations or not being able to find the right words."

Cognitive impairment is the general term for these thinking difficulties. And patients say "this has the biggest impact on their ability to communicate in everyday life," Barnish said.

He and his colleagues reviewed 12 studies that included a total of 222 Parkinson's disease patients. They found that both thinking and physical problems are associated with speech difficulties, but that patients with greater mental decline had more difficulty conversing.

The findings appear March 18 in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

Researcher Katherine Deane, of the University of East Anglia, said in the news release, "What this research tells us is that speech and language therapists need to assess the [thinking] problems of people with Parkinson's as well as their speech clarity when trying to improve everyday communication.

"It may be that patients who are struggling with thinking quickly need different communication strategies to help them in everyday life," Deane said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on Parkinson's disease.

http://health.einnews.com/article/317210398/ztAH3Wn5ulC4lx51

MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES TO ASSESS PARKINSON'S DISEASE

18th March 2016 - New research

Researchers carried out a systematic review in order to (1) list, (2) compare and (3) classify technological-based devices used to measure motor function in people with Parkinson's Disease into three groups : wearable, non-wearable and hybrid devices. A systematic literature search of the PubMed database resulted in the inclusion of 168 studies.

These studies were grouped based on the type of device used. For each device they reviewed the availability, use, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. 73 devices were identified. Of these, 22 were wearable, 38 were non- wearable, and 13 were hybrid devices. In accordance with their classification, 9 devices were recommended, 34 were suggested, and 30 devices were classified as listed.

Within the wearable devices group, those clasified as recommended were : the Mobility Lab sensors from Ambulatory Parkinson's Disease Monitoring (APDM), Physilog, StepWatch 3, TriTrac RT3 Triaxial accelerometer, McRoberts DynaPort, and Axivity (AX3). Within the non-wearable devices group, the Nintendo Wii Balance Board and GAITRite gait analysis system were classified as recommended. Within the hybrid devices group only the Kinesia system was classified as recommended.

Reference : Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation [2016] 13 (1) : 24 (C.Godinho, J.Domingos, G.Cunha, A.T.Santos, R.M.Fernandes, D.Abreu, N.Gonçalves, H.Matthews, T.Isaacs, J.Duffen, A.Al-Jawad, F.Larsen, A.Serrano, P.Weber, A.Thoms, S.Sollinger, H. Graessner, W.Maetzler, J.J.Ferreira) Complete study : https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-016-0136-7

©2016 Viartishttp://www.viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news/160318.pdf

Researchers carried out a systematic review in order to (1) list, (2) compare and (3) classify technological-based devices used to measure motor function in people with Parkinson's Disease into three groups : wearable, non-wearable and hybrid devices. A systematic search of the PubMed database resulted in the inclusion of 168 studies.

These studies were grouped based on the type of device used. For each device they reviewed the availability, use, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. 73 devices were identified. Of these, 22 were wearable, 38 were non- wearable, and 13 were hybrid devices. In accordance with their classification, 9 devices were recommended, 34 were suggested, and 30 devices were classified as listed. 

Within the wearable devices group, those classified as recommended were the : 

Mobility Lab System (APDM) - A watch-sized device consisting of up to six sensors that enables the registration of different outcomes such as, postural sway, lower limb gait,  postural transitions, upper limb gait, and trunk measures

Physilog - An analysis method that uses body-attached gyroscopes to assess spatio-temporal parameters of gait, sway, physical activity, tremor and bradykinesia.Minimal attachment sites are used and no calibration is needed

StepWatch 3 - The StepWatch 3 (SAM) is a step activity monitor used to capture differences in ambulatory activity according to age and functional limitation. The StepWatch (SAM) is the size of a pager and attaches to the ankle.

TriTrac RT3 Triaxial accelerometer - The TriTrac RT3 may be suitable for sustained tracking of free-living physical activity in the home environment. It is small, capable of collecting and storing data in one-minute epochs for 21 days. 

McRoberts DynaPort - The DynaPort MiniMod Hybrid combines acceleration sensors and gyroscopes with six channels that assess the individual’s movement at 100Hz each.

Axivity (AX3) - The Axivity (AX3) is a three-axis accelerometer that has a non-volatile flash memory chip linked by a USB-enabled microcontroller. Inside the sealed polycarbonate puck is a temperature sensor, ambient light sensor, and real time clock and lithium polymer battery.

Within the non-wearable devices group, those classified as recommended :

Nintendo Wii Balance Board - Nintendo Wii Balance Board is a commonly used accessory for video game consoles. It is considered a cheap, widespread, clinimetric robust device that can be used to measure postural instability in PD patients.

GAITRite gait analysis system - The GAITRite system is an electronic pathway that contains pressure sensitive sensors arranged in a grid-like pattern. The carpet is portable and can be rolled up for transportation. It is used for laboratory evaluation and provides information regarding several gait parameters, such as walking speed, cadence and step length.

Within the hybrid devices group the only one classified as recommended  was the :

Kinesia system - Kinesia integrates accelerometers and gyroscopes in a compact patient-worn unit to capture kinematic movement disorder features. The sensor component of the device is mounted on a ring, which fits on a finger. 

Reference : Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation [2016] 13 (1) : 24 (C.Godinho, J.Domingos, G.Cunha, A.T.Santos, R.M.Fernandes, D.Abreu, N.Gonçalves, H.Matthews, T.Isaacs, J.Duffen, A.Al-Jawad, F.Larsen, A.Serrano, P.Weber, A.Thoms, S.Sollinger, H. Graessner, W.Maetzler, J.J.Ferreira) 

http://www.viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news.htm