PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells studied for lupus therapy

2011-04-12
(Press-News.org) Tampa, Fla. (April 11, 2011) – Human umbilical cord blood-derived mensenchymal stem cells (uMSCs) have been found to offer benefits for treating lupus nephritis (LN) when transplanted into mouse models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is an autoimmune disease with "myriad immune system aberrations" characterized by diverse clinical conditions, including LN, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with SLE. The beneficial results were reported in a study by Taiwanese researchers published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:2), freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. According to corresponding author Dr. Oscar K. Lee of the National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, MSCs have been shown to possess immune-modulatory capabilities and can alleviate immune responses by inhibiting inflammation as well as the function of mature and immature immune system T cells. Seeking to explore the therapeutic effects of uMSCs in treating LN, their study transplanted umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells into mice modeled with systemic immune diseases closely resembling SLE in humans. "We found that uMSC transplantation markedly delayed the deterioration of renal function, reduced certain antibody levels, alleviated changes in renal pathology and the development of proteinuria - the presence of excess protein serum in the urine and a sign of renal damage," said Dr. Lee. The positive difference in survival rate for mice treated at two months of age compared with mice treated at six months of age, led the researchers to conclude that early uMSC transplantation may be most efficacious. The researchers also deduced that their findings favored the use of allogenic (other-donated) rather than autologous (self-donated) MSCs for SLE treatment, which would make sense with an autoimmune disorder. "The therapeutic effects demonstrated in this pre-clinical study support further exploration of the possibility of using uMSCs from mismatched donors in LN treatment," concluded Dr. Lee. "The ability of uMSCs to reduce inflammation means that they are likely to be of use in the treatment of autoimmune disorders and this study supports that reasoning and, in this case, also advocates the use of non-self cells," said Dr. David Eve, associate editor of "CELL TRANSPLANTATION" and an instructor at the University of South Florida Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair.

### Contact: Dr. Oscar K. Lee, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine.
Tel: +866-2-2875-7557 Fax : +886-2-2875-7657
Email: kslee@vghtpe.gov.tw

Citation : Chang, J-W.; Hung , S-P.; Wu, H-H.; Wu, W-M.; Yang, A-H.; Tsai, H-L.; Yang, L-Y.; Lee, O. K. Therapeutic Effects of Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Experimental Lupus Nephritis. Cell Transplant. 20(2):245-257; 2011.

The editorial offices for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, College of Medicine, the University of South Florida and the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Contact, David Eve, PhD. at celltransplantation@gmail.com or Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu

News release by Randolph Fillmore, Florida Science Communications, www.sciencescribe.net


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Superior Lamp, Inc. is Seriously Committed to Reducing Energy Consumption

2011-04-12
Each day we are making conscious and unconscious decisions that greatly affect how much energy that we use and, therefore, how much energy is required to be produced. The cost has never been higher. The effects of our energy consumption are all around us. Just take a look at any headline in the news today. Many are energy-driven. Each time a middle eastern country has a crisis our stock market shudders at the possibility that oil production may drop off by two or three percent. Every time a storm rises in the Gulf of Mexico, or a bill in Congress on deep water drilling ...

Research digs deep into the fracking controversy

Research digs deep into the fracking controversy
2011-04-12
The turmoil in oil-producing nations is triggering turmoil at home, as rising oil prices force Americans to pay more at the pump. Meanwhile, there's a growing industry that's promising jobs and access to cheaper energy resources on American soil, but it's not without its controversy. Deborah Kittner, a University of Cincinnati doctoral student in geography, presents, "What's the Fracking Problem? Extraction Industry's Neglect of the Locals in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Region," at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Kittner will be presenting ...

In it to win it?

2011-04-12
Pathological gambling addiction is surprisingly common in the U.S., afflicting as many as 3.4% of all adults. Like other addictions, it is highly disabling both to the individual and to society, often leading to suicide, job loss, and criminal behavior. It affects more men than women and can become worse over time. Scientists have found that a wide range of drugs can be effective for treating this disorder in the short term, including Naltrexone, used to treat alcohol addiction. Now, psychiatrist Prof. Pinhas Dannon of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine ...

Researchers find replacement for rare material indium tin oxide

Researchers find replacement for rare material indium tin oxide
2011-04-12
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, Netherlands) have developed a replacement for indium tin oxide (ITO), an important material used in displays for all kinds of everyday products such as TVs, telephones and laptops, as well as in solar cells. Unfortunately indium is a rare metal, and the available supplies are expected to be virtually exhausted within as little as ten years. The replacement material is a transparent, conducting film produced in water, and based on electrically conducting carbon nanotubes and plastic nanoparticles. It is made of commonly ...

Black River Computer Announces Website Enhancements; Offers Serial Printer Rebates up to $300

Black River Computer Announces Website Enhancements; Offers Serial Printer Rebates up to $300
2011-04-12
Black River Computer an industry leader in business printing solutions, and the largest Dascom Americas Reseller in the Midwest, is pleased to announce website enhancements and aggressive trade-in rebate programs geared to the serial printer market. Black River has been serving prominent clients in the HP server maintenance environment and print document solutions business for over 20 years. "The enhancements to our website underscore our effort to become even more customer-centric by placing key information at the fingertips of our valued current and potential clients," ...

Measles not being reported

2011-04-12
Measles is not always being reported in Germany as required by law, particularly when cases are sporadic. In this edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108[12]: 191𔃄), Annedore Mette's working group presents its conclusions. The WHO aims to eliminate measles in Europe by 2015. The criteria for this are for there to be no measles cases among the country's inhabitants, and for any measles arriving from abroad not to spread any further within the country, as a result of the high vaccination rate and compulsory reporting. In their study, ...

Researchers find anatomic differences after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy

2011-04-12
(Boston) – Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have concluded that the anatomy of the pelvis following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is considerably different when compared to the anatomy of the pelvis following an open prostatectomy (OP). These findings, which are the first to ever compare pelvic anatomy following RARP and OP surgery, may have implications for patients requiring post-operative radiation. The study currently appears on-line in Practical Radiation Oncology. Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer ...

Managing pain -- a family affair

2011-04-12
Could adult children's strategies for coping with pain come from watching their parents react to and deal with pain? According to Suzyen Kraljevic, from the University Hospital Split in Croatia, and colleagues, a family may have a specific cognitive style of coping with pain. Their work, which looks at the relationship between how parents and their children respond to pain, is published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. It is already recognized that parents' pain behavior is associated with the way their children experience and express ...

EPA's draft health assessment for formaldehyde needs improvement

2011-04-12
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency draft assessment of the potential health effects associated with formaldehyde exposure needs substantial revision, says a new report from the National Research Council, which recommends improvements for EPA's final assessment. The report finds that EPA supports its conclusions that formaldehyde can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat; lesions in the respiratory tract; and genetic mutations at high concentrations. Furthermore, the report finds that the evidence is sufficient for EPA to conclude that formaldehyde ...

Periodontal stem cell transplantation shows promise

2011-04-12
Tampa, Fla. (April 11, 2011) – Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) have been found to be the most efficacious of three kinds of clinically tested dental tissue-derived stem cells, reports a study published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:2), freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. According to researchers in Seoul, South Korea, transplantation of PDLSCs into beagle dogs modeled with advanced periodontal (gum) disease that affected their premolars and molars, which are morphologically similar to the corresponding ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Beyond electronics: harnessing light for faster computing

Researchers find possible cause for increasing polarization

From soft to solid: How a coral stiffens its skeleton on demand

New software tool MARTi fast-tracks identification and response to microbial threats

Rare brain cell may hold the key to preventing schizophrenia symptoms

A new tool to find hidden ‘zombie cells’

New Cleveland Clinic research finds up to 5% of Americans carry genetic mutations associated with cancer risk

Once tadpoles lose lungs, they never get them back

Small group of users drive invasive species awareness on social media

One bad safety review can tank an Airbnb booking — Even among thousands of positive ones, new study finds

Text-based system speeds up hospital discharges to long-term care

California schools are losing tree canopy

How people learn computer programming

Exploring a mechanism of psychedelics

Scientists can now explore mechanisms behind attachment issues

Researchers watched students’ brains as they learned to program

An AI-powered lifestyle intervention vs human coaching in the diabetes prevention program

AI-powered diabetes prevention program shows similar benefits to those led by people

New study may transform diagnosis of Britain’s number one cancer

Stillbirths in the United States

How animals get their spots, and why they are beautifully imperfect

Stillbirths in the U.S. higher than previously reported, often occur with no clinical risk factors

Durability of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines against JN.1 subvariants

Online unsupervised Tai Chi intervention for knee pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis

A nose for microbes: how hunger tunes the brain

TRF1 protein loss reduces body fat and improves metabolic health in mice without shortening telomeres

JMIR Medical Education invites submissions on bias, diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence in medical education

SwRI receives $9.9 million contract to assess reliability of F-16 landing gear components

Computer scientists build AI tool to spot risky and unenforceable contract terms

Self-affirmations can boost well-being, study finds

[Press-News.org] Umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells studied for lupus therapy