Safe cells
The first test to determine the safety of pluripotent stem cells has been developed
LifeSciencesToday based on CSIRO materials:
CSIRO develops test to improve stem cell safetyScientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia, have developed a test to identify unsafe stem cells.
As reported in the international journal Stem Cells (Polanco et al., Identification of Unsafe Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Using a Robust Surrogate Assay for Pluripotency), this is the first safety test designed to work with human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Pluripotent cells in the laboratory (photo by CSIRO)
The promising development of Australian scientists is a significant step in improving the quality of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and identifying undesirable lines capable of forming tumors. The possibilities of the new test also include determining the stability of iPSCs grown in laboratory conditions.
Dr. Andrew Laslett and his team have been working on this project for five years. The research was aimed at comparing different types of iPSCs with human embryonic stem cells. Currently, induced pluripotent stem cells are the most widely used type of pluripotent stem cells for research.
"The test developed by us makes it easy to identify unsafe iPSCs. Ensuring the safety of these cell lines is of paramount importance, and we hope that our test will become a routine screening – part of the safe and effective cell therapy methods being developed based on induced pluripotent stem cells," says Dr. Laslett.
Using their testing method, scientists have shown that certain methods of obtaining iPSCs are associated with a greater degree of risk. Unwanted tumors are more often formed when using a standard technique involving the use of viruses that constantly alter the DNA of the cell. In contrast, cells obtained by methods that do not alter DNA do not form tumors.
Dr. Lamlett hopes that his work and the new testing method will increase scientists' awareness and understanding of the importance of stem cell safety, as well as lead to improved quality control.
It is generally accepted that induced pluripotent stem cells obtained by viruses should not be used to treat people, but they can be used in laboratory research to study diseases and to search, develop and test new therapeutic drugs. In any case, the priority should be to guarantee the safety and stability of cells, says Dr. Laslett.
The test is based on laser technologies that allow the identification of proteins on the cell surface. Based on the presence – or absence – of specific proteins, cells are divided into groups, after which further development is monitored. Unsafe stem cell lines are easily identified by their ability to form recognizable clusters of cells, which safe ones do not. The test can be used to assess the safety of human embryonic stem cells obtained by somatic cell nuclear transfer.
The head of the Stem Cell Program in Australia, Professor Martin Pera, commented on the achievement of his colleagues: "Although transplantation methods based on induced pluripotent stem cells are now rapidly making their way to human trials, active debates continue in the scientific community about the potential dangers of this new technology. This important study provides a simple and powerful method for assessing whether stem cell lines are safe for clinical use."
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru06.06.2013