(Press-News.org) Tampa, Fla. (May 2, 2011) – Brazilian researchers, reporting in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:3) (now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/ ), discovered difficulties in establishing a genetically diverse line of human embryonic stem cells (hES) to serve the therapeutic stem cell transplantation needs of the diverse ethnic and genetic Brazilian population.
According to the study's corresponding author, Dr. Lygia V. Pereira of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, pluripotent human embryonic stem cells are an important tool for basic and applied stem cell transplantation research. However, immunocompatibility is an issue, especially in a genetically diverse population such as that in Brazil where the population is comprised of European, African and Native South American ancestry.
In their study, the researchers developed an hES cell line (the first in South America) they called "BR-1" derived from a Brazilian population with embryos donated by couples who had sought assistance from private fertility clinics. Their research was compatible with the 2005 Brazilian national legal, ethical and clinical guidelines for embryonic stem cell research using tissue that had been frozen for the legally mandated time of at least three years, and that had been produced for reproductive reasons.
Their results showed that the hES cell lines they established were a "worse match" to the Brazilian population than hES lines developed elsewhere, particularly those developed in the U.S. and Singapore. The reasons for that may be several, said Dr. Pereira.
"The Brazilian population is one of the most heterogeneous in the world, and the genes of Brazilians are mosaics," said Dr. Pereira. "However, an analysis of BR-1 showed that it is mostly European in origin. The reproductive assistance offered by the Brazilian public health system does not include cryopreservation of surplus embryos, meaning that the only research material available came from private clinics where couples with above-average incomes could afford the high cost of assisted reproduction."
According to the researchers, that segment of the Brazilian population is mostly composed of people self-identified as white - of European ancestry - and so are not representative of Brazilian ethnic admixture and, thus, are unable to be widely compatible with Brazil's diverse population genetics.
"Although we have successfully established the first line of hES from the Brazilian population that adds to the pool of genetically different pluripotent cells available, it will be important to have access to embryos from the more mixed population and assistance from the Public Health System," concluded Dr. Pereira.
"Use of embryonic stem cells (ES) in regenerative medicine is very promising, but the potential problems of tumor development, cell rejection due to histo-incompatibility, and contamination with animal products employed in the cell culture need to be overcome," said Dr. Julio Voltarelli, professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Immunology at the University of Sao Pãulo, Brazil and section editor for Cell Transplantation. "In this study, Dr Pereira and colleagues compared the HLA compatibility between their ES line, the first established in Brazil, and a sample of the Brazilian population who volunteered as donors for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (REDOME). They found few matches for the ES line in the representative population, which was attributed to the great genetic heterogeneity of the Brazilian population. This finding may add another difficulty to the clinical use of ES in Brazil and other mixed populations even once the safety issues of ES lines are resolved."
###
Contact: Dr. Lygia V. Pereira, Laboratorio de Genetica Molecular and Laboratorio Nacional de Celuas-Tronco Embrionarias, Instituto de Biociensas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo SP, 05508-090 Brasil,
Tel: Fax: Email: lpereira@usp.br
Citation:.
Fraga, A. M.; Sukoyan, M.; Rajan, P.; Braga, D. P. F.; Iaconelli, A., Jr.; Franco, J. G., Jr.; Borges, E., Jr.; Pereira, L. V. Establishment Of A Brazilian Line Of Human Embryonic Stem Cells In Defined Medium – Implications For Cell Therapy In An Ethnically Diverse Population. Cell Transplant. 20(3):431-440; 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
END
For many practical applications involving lasers, it's important to be able to control the direction of the laser beams. Just ask Han Solo, or the captain of the Death Star. Researchers from North Carolina State University have come up with a very energy-efficient way of steering laser beams that is precise and relatively inexpensive.
"In many cases, it is much easier to redirect a laser beam at a target than to steer the laser itself. We intended to develop a way to do this efficiently and without moving anything," says Dr. Michael Escuti, an associate professor of electrical ...
As graduation day approaches for high school and college students alike, parents must deal with the "empty nest syndrome" that accompanies a child leaving home. Empty Nest Syndrome has been recognized by the psychological community as feelings of depression, sadness, and/or grief experienced by parents and caregivers after children come of age and leave their childhood homes. Licensed family counselor and author Jay Fitter says the devastation to parents is very real, but can be dealt with by implementing a few proactive measures.
In his book "Respect ...
April 29, 2011 -- Road warriors who travel for business two weeks or more a month have higher body mass index, higher rates of obesity and poorer self-rated health than those who travel less often, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.
The study, conducted by Andrew G. Rundle, DrPH and Catherine A. Richards, MPH, drew data from medical records of more than 13,000 employees in a corporate wellness program provided by EHE International. Nearly 80% of employees traveled at least one night a month and 1% traveled more than 20 ...
Tampa, FL (May 2, 2011) -- A protein associated with Alzheimer's disease clogs several motors of the cell transport machinery critical for normal cell division, leading to defective neurons that may contribute to the memory-robbing disease, University of South Florida researchers report.
In a new study published online in the journal Cell Cycle, scientists at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute. the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Indiana University also suggest that the protein beta amyloid (amyloid protein) may cause neurons in the brain to malfunction ...
Menlo Park, Calif. — Scientists have engineered a cheap, abundant alternative to the expensive platinum catalyst and coupled it with a light-absorbing electrode to make hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water.
The discovery is an important development in the worldwide effort to mimic the way plants make fuel from sunlight, a key step in creating a green energy economy. It was reported last week in Nature Materials by theorist Jens Nørskov of the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University and a team of colleagues led by Ib Chorkendorff ...
OptionsU Forex Trader (OUFX) announced the release of the next version of the popular Forex trading software: Forex Trader Pro 2.0. Designed to maximize trades and increase profits on every trade, Forex Trader Pro 2.0 is sure to be invaluable to both new and current Forex traders. To learn more, interested traders can reserve a seat for OUFX's free webinar on Thursday, May 5, 2011 by visiting http://forextraderpro.com/pr-fxtp2.
Forex Trader Pro 2.0 includes exciting new benefits, including access to the C4 Currency Trend Tracker software, which tracks currency rates ...
During the development of an embryo, a large number of different, specialised cell-types arise from the fertilised egg. The genetic information is identical in all cells of an organism. Different properties of cells arise because the activity of genes is controlled and regulated by so called transcription factors. By switching genes on or off, the body makes muscle cells, bone cells, liver cells and many more.
Scientists have been puzzling over the question whether the gene regulatory programs that control this development have been "invented" only once during evolution ...
When it comes to news, there are many different types of news available. There's fashion news, business news, consumer news, even technology related news. However, there's nothing like getting news from home. As such, each and every day millions of people scour the internet in search of local news and information. ARGYLEtv.com is a provider of internet tv channels from around the world, and is where thousands turn to in order to keep up to date with what is going on with their government, or to follow their favorite sports team.
Utilizing the internet to obtain information ...
Pelican Brands and Gemtree Vineyards jointly announced today the formation of a long-term strategic partnership for the U.S. market. Gemtree Vineyards is owned and run by third generation grape growers, the Buttery family. The family is dedicated to producing iconic wines of the highest quality from their McLaren Vale vineyards, which since 2008 have been farmed 100% biodynamically. Gemtree is currently sold in 19 states across the US. In April 2011, Gemtree White Lees Shiraz won "Best of Show Red Wine" at the WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America) annual ...
URBANA – Has a bone density scan placed you at risk for osteoporosis, leading your doctor to prescribe a widely advertised bone-building medication? Not so fast! A University of Illinois study finds that an effective first course of action is increasing dietary calcium and vitamin D or taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
"For many people, prescription bone-building medicines should be a last resort," said Karen Chapman-Novakofski, a U of I professor of nutrition and co-author of a literature review published in a recent issue of Nutrients.
The study reported ...
