(Press-News.org) Critical limb ischemia is a condition in which the main blood vessels supplying blood to the legs are blocked, causing blood flow to gradually decrease as atherosclerosis progresses in the peripheral arteries. It is a severe form of peripheral artery disease that causes progressive closure of arteries in the lower extremity, leading to the necrosis of the leg tissue and eventual amputation. Current treatments include angioplasty procedures such as stent implantation and anti-thrombotic drugs, but there is a risk of blood vessel damage and recurrence of blood clots, which is why there is a strong interest in developing a treatment using stem cells.
A research team led by Dr. Sangheon Kim of the Center for Biomaterials Research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that they have developed a three-dimensional stem cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia through a self-assembling platform technology using a new material microgel. By using collagen microgels, a new biocompatible material, the researchers were able to easily transplant stem cells into the body and increase cell survival rate compared to 3D stem cell therapies made of cells alone.
Stem cell therapies have high tissue regeneration capabilities, but when stem cells are transplanted alone, hypoxia at the site of injury, immune responses, and other factors can reduce cell viability and prevent the desired therapeutic effect. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a material that delivers stem cells using biodegradable polymers or components of extracellular matrix as a support to increase cell viability.
The team processed collagen hydrogels to micro-scale to create porous, three-dimensional scaffolds that are easy to inject in the body and have a uniform cell distribution. Collagen, a component of the extracellular matrix, has excellent biocompatibility and cellular activity, which can induce cell self-assembly by promoting interactions between the microgel particles and collagen receptors on stem cells. In addition, the spacing between microgel particles increased the porosity of the three-dimensional constructs, improving delivery efficiency and cell survival.
The microgel-cell constructs developed by the researchers expressed more pro-angiogenic factors and exhibited higher angiogenic potential than cell-only constructs. When microgel-cell constructs were injected into the muscle tissue of mice with critical limb ischemia, blood perfusion rate increased by about 40% and limb salvage ratio increased by 60% compared to the cell-only constructs, confirming their effectiveness in increasing blood flow and preventing necrosis in the ischemic limb.
The new stem cell therapy is expected to provide a new alternative for patients with critical limb ischemia who have limited treatment options other than amputation due to its excellent angiogenic effect. Furthermore, since angiogenesis is an essential component of various tissue regeneration processes, it can be extended to other diseases with similar mechanisms to peripheral arterial disease.
"The collagen microgel developed in this study is a new biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and high potential for clinical applications," said Dr. Sangheon Kim of KIST. "We plan to develop technologies for administration methods required in the medical field, as well as conduct follow-up research to clarify the clear mechanism of action of the treatment and discover target factors."
###
KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/
This research was supported by Korean Fund for Regenerative Medicine (22C0620L1). The findings were published in the latest issue of the international journal Bioactive Materials (IF 18.9, JCR top 1.1%).
END
Developing a stem cell therapy to prevent amputations from critical limb ischemia
Development of a new scaffold based on collagen microgel for next-generation stem cell therapy. Excellent biocompatibility and cell viability increase potential for treating critical limb ischemia.
2024-03-13
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Good news: the US maternal death rate is stable, not sky rocketing, as reported
2024-03-13
Philadelphia, March 13, 2024 – A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, published by Elsevier, challenges the prevailing view on the maternal death rate in the United States. The findings show that the rates of maternal death were stable between 1999-2002 and 2018-2021, instead of the dramatic upward trends previously reported by the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the study indicates that direct obstetric causes of death declined over the last 20 years.
To determine whether the reported maternal death rates are accurate, a team of researchers took a deep dive into ...
CDC sharply overestimates maternal death rate, new study finds
2024-03-13
Maternal death rates in the United States may be sharply overstated as a result of faulty surveillance techniques, according to an analysis by researchers at Rutgers Health and other universities.
The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that maternal death rates have more than tripled over the last two decades to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 – substantially more than in any other wealthy nation.
The new study that looked at all deaths in the United States from 1999 to 2021 published in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports consistent death rates of slightly ...
NIH researchers identify brain connections associated with ADHD in youth
2024-03-13
What: Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered that symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are tied to atypical interactions between the brain’s frontal cortex and information processing centers deep in the brain. The researchers examined more than 10,000 functional brain images of youth with ADHD and published their results in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study was led by researchers at NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Human Genome Research Institute.
Luke Norman, Ph.D., a staff scientist in the NIMH Office of the Clinical Director, and colleagues ...
Single type of light creates multi-types of particles
2024-03-13
Laser direct writing (LDW) current researches mostly generate single type of materials for sensing layers or electrodes, while the sensor with different types of materials by LDW method is lacked. Researchers led by Prof. Gao Yang from East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), China, are interested in expanded the application of LDW method, where can utilize the photo-thermal conversion, to synthesize materials and then engrave them with the desired morphologies and structures.
Focusing on the functionality of materials, the researchers use all-LDW method to generate laser induced silver (LIS) as electrodes and laser induced graphene ...
No persistent cough in 4 out of 5 with Tuberculosis
2024-03-13
More than 80% of patients with tuberculosis, the world’s most deadly infection, do not have a persistent cough, despite this being seen as a key symptom of the disease. The infection is predominantly transmitted by coughing, but probably also through simply breathing. Research, led by Amsterdam UMC and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Heath and Development, analysed data on more than 600,000 individuals in Africa and Asia and found that 82.8% of those with tuberculosis had no persistent cough and 62.5% had no cough at all. These results ...
Progesterone protects babies from preterm birth
2024-03-13
Women with a short cervix around 20 weeks of pregnancy have an increased risk of preterm birth. Preventing preterm birth in pregnant women with a short cervix is a crucial step in protecting the health of the child. Research from Amsterdam UMC now shows that, in pregnant women with a short cervix around 20 weeks, Progesterone (a hormone) is better than a cervical pessary at reducing the risk of severe preterm birth. This study was published today in the BMJ.
"This is an important improvement that can contribute to the reduction of preterm births and the associated complications, such as an increased risk of infant mortality and long-term health problems for the child," says ...
School-age girls with obesity are more likely to experience joint and muscle pain
2024-03-13
Girls with obesity are more likely to experience pain in their bones, joints, muscles, ligaments or tendons compared with children with a healthy weight, according to research by Queen Mary University of London. The same did not apply to boys.
Queen Mary researchers hope their findings will raise awareness that obesity may contribute to musculoskeletal problems in children.
In the study, published today in Archives of Disease in Childhood, researchers analysed anonymised information on 120,000 children, linking data from the National Child Measurement Programme with GP records. They found that girls with obesity were 1.7 times more likely than those ...
New analysis: most care homes closed by industry regulator are run for-profit
2024-03-13
A new analysis led by researchers at the University of Oxford and funded by the Nuffield Foundation has found that virtually all care homes forced to close in England by the Care Quality Commission are run on a for-profit basis. The results, published today in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, raise questions about the role of the private sector in exacerbating the care sector’s ongoing crisis.
The study assessed the number of care homes which had been forced to close by the independent regulator of health and social care in England, the Care Quality Commission ...
A simple intervention benefits cancer patients while saving hospitals money, Pitt study showed
2024-03-13
Cancer patients who received specialized mental health support as part of their treatment plan are more likely to see improvements in their quality of life and reductions in pain, depression and fatigue, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
In addition to lasting improvements in patients’ quality of life, researchers observed lower risk of cardiovascular disease in family caregivers, as well as substantial cost savings to the healthcare system. The findings from a Phase III clinical trial were published today in The Lancet.
“The ...
Major typhoid fever surveillance study in sub-Saharan Africa indicates need for the introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines in endemic countries
2024-03-13
There is a high burden of typhoid fever in sub-Saharan African countries, according to a new study published today in The Lancet Global Health. This high burden combined with the threat of typhoid strains resistant to antibiotic treatment calls for stronger prevention strategies, including the use and implementation of typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs) in endemic settings along with improvements in access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The findings from this 4-year study, the Severe Typhoid ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
NASA scientists find new human-caused shifts in global water cycle
This tiny galaxy is answering some big questions
Large and small galaxies may grow in ways more similar than expected
The ins and outs of quinone carbon capture
Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester launches IFE-STAR ecosystem and workforce development initiatives
Most advanced artificial touch for brain-controlled bionic hand
Compounding drought and climate effects disrupt soil water dynamics in grasslands
Multiyear “megadroughts” becoming longer and more severe under climate change
Australopithecines at South African cave site were not eating substantial amounts of meat
An AI model developed to design proteins simulates 500 million years of protein evolution in developing new fluorescent protein
Fine-tuned brain-computer interface makes prosthetic limbs feel more real
New chainmail-like material could be the future of armor
The megadroughts are upon us
Eavesdropping on organs: Immune system controls blood sugar levels
Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors
New study reveals how climate change may alter hydrology of grassland ecosystems
Polymer research shows potential replacement for common superglues with a reusable and biodegradable alternative
Research team receives $1.5 million to study neurological disorders linked to long COVID
Research using non-toxic bacteria to fight high-mortality cancers prepares for clinical trials
Do parents really have a favorite child? Here’s what new research says
Mussel bed surveyed before World War II still thriving
ACS Annual Report: Cancer mortality continues to drop despite rising incidence in women; rates of new diagnoses under 65 higher in women than men
Fewer skin ulcers in Werner syndrome patients treated with pioglitazone
Study finds surprising way that genetic mutation causes Huntington’s disease, transforming understanding of the disorder
DNA motors found to switch gears
Human ancestor thrived longer in harsher conditions than previous estimates
Evolution: Early humans adapted to extreme desert conditions over one million years ago
Race and ethnicity and diffusion of telemedicine in Medicaid for schizophrenia care after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
Changes in support for advance provision and over-the-counter access to medication abortion
Protein level predicts immunotherapy response in bowel cancer
[Press-News.org] Developing a stem cell therapy to prevent amputations from critical limb ischemiaDevelopment of a new scaffold based on collagen microgel for next-generation stem cell therapy. Excellent biocompatibility and cell viability increase potential for treating critical limb ischemia.