Cell therapy of neurological diseases
According to the reports of specialists presented at the 22nd Congress of the European Society of Neurology, held on June 9-12 in Prague, the results of recent studies give hope that various types of stem cells can be used to treat severe neurological diseases such as stroke, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Neural stem cells in ischaemic stroke: from bench-to-bedside
Nerve stem cells and stroke: from the laboratory to the clinicResearchers from Glasgow reported at the congress on a pilot study of the use of stem cells for the treatment of stroke (Pilot Investigation of Stem Cells in Stroke, PISCES).
As part of this work, nerve stem cells are implanted in patients in a stroke-affected area to trigger the regeneration of damaged nerve cells. Patients who have undergone this unique procedure will be monitored for 10 years.
Neural stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various types of brain tissue cells. In animal experiments, cells obtained using the genetic engineering protocol developed by the researchers have demonstrated their effectiveness. At the same time, stroke-affected rats with impaired sensory-motor functions showed a significant improvement a few weeks after the introduction of cells.
Somatic cell reprogramming into dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson's disease therapy
Reprogramming of somatic cells into dopaminergic neurons for the treatment of parkinsonism
Cell therapy of Parkinson's disease has not yet reached the level of clinical studies. However, a team of specialists from Milan reported significant achievements in this area. The purpose of nerve cell implantation in Parkinson's disease is to restore impaired dopamine production in brain tissue. Researchers have developed a method to circumvent the ethically controversial use of embryonic stem cells to produce nerve cells.
By introducing three specialized proteins into the culture medium, scientists managed to turn connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) into dopaminergic nerve cells, that is, cells that die in Parkinson's disease. The next stage of the work will be to determine the optimal method of transplantation of such cells into the affected regions of the brain.
Stem cells in multiple sclerosis: where we are and where we go
Stem cells and multiple sclerosis: today and tomorrowProfessor Gianvito Martino from the Milan St. Raphael Clinic reported that several clinical studies of cell therapy for multiple sclerosis are currently being conducted.
He noted that the use of nerve and mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of multiple sclerosis is considered a very promising approach to starting the regeneration of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers damaged by this disease. The results of recent studies have shown that stem cells not only replace cells that are destroyed in multiple sclerosis, but also have an additional protective effect by releasing neuroprotective molecules.
However, Professor Martino noted the danger of such therapies offered by dubious organizations or doctors. There are unscrupulous doctors who promise seriously ill patients a cure using methods that have not yet been properly tested. It is estimated that people spend several billion US dollars annually on such risky cell therapy. Despite significant achievements in recent years, the use of stem cells for therapeutic purposes has not yet become a routine medical practice. Therefore, patients wishing to undergo such treatment should take part in serious clinical trials, the conduct of which is approved by the relevant regulatory authorities.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to Medical News Today:
Stem Cell Therapy Shows Prospects For Severe Neurological Diseases.
15.06.2012