Cell Therapy News Volume 14.48 | Dec 9 2013

Expression of Chimeric Receptor CD4ζ by Natural Killer Cells Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Improves In Vitro Activity but Does Not Enhance Suppression of HIV Infection In Vivo
The authors demonstrated significant suppression of HIV replication in mice treated with both CD4ζ-modified and unmodified human embryonic stem cell/induced pluripotent stem cell-derived-natural killer cells compared to control mice. However, they did not observe significantly increased efficacy of CD4ζ expression in suppression of HIV infection. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Immunotherapy with TCR-Redirected T Cells: Comparison of TCR-Transduced and TCR-Engineered Hematopoietic Stem Cell-Derived T Cells
Scientists demonstrated that TCR-transduced T cells and TCR-engineered hematopoietic stem cell-derived T cells are comparable in controlling lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mice and suppress growth of B16 tumor cells expressing the cognate Ag in a comparable manner. [J Immunol] Abstract

Human Neural Stem Cells Expressing Carboxyl Esterase Target and Inhibit Tumor Growth of Lung Cancer Brain Metastases
Human neural stem cells expressing rabbit carboxyl esterase, which activates CPT-11, significantly inhibited the growth of A549 human non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma cells in the presence of CPT-11 in vitro and in vivo. [Cancer Gene Ther] Abstract

Administration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Ziprasidone Enhanced Amelioration of Ischemic Brain Damage in Rats
Researchers investigated whether the transplantation of neural progenitor cells derived from adipose mesenchymal stem cells combined with ziprasidone enhances neuroprotective effects in an animal model of focal cerebral ischemia. [Mol Cells] Abstract

Local Transplantation of Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor-Mobilized CD34⁺ Cells for Patients with Femoral and Tibial Nonunion: Pilot Clinical Trial
Researchers report a Phase I/IIa clinical trial regarding transplantation of autologous, granulocyte colony stimulating factor-mobilized CD34⁺ cells with atelocollagen scaffold for patients with femoral or tibial fracture nonunion. [Stem Cell Transl Med] Abstract

Enhancement of Polysialic Acid Expression Improves Function of Embryonic Stem-Derived Dopamine Neuron Grafts in Parkinsonian Mice
Scientists showed that enhanced expression of polysialic acid results in improved graft efficiency in correcting behavioral deficits in Parkinsonian mice. [Stem Cell Transl Med] Abstract

Human Dendritic Cells Derived From Embryonic Stem Cells Stably Modified with CD1d Efficiently Stimulate Antitumor Invariant Natural Killer T Cell Response
Using a lentivector carrying an optimized expression cassette, researchers generated stably modified human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines that consistently overexpressed CD1d. These modified hESC lines were able to differentiate into dendritic cells as efficiently as the parental line. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

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Flipping a Gene Switch Reactivates Fetal Hemoglobin, May Reverse Sickle Cell Disease
Hematology researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have manipulated key biological events in adult blood cells to produce a form of hemoglobin normally absent after the newborn period. Because this fetal hemoglobin is unaffected by the genetic defect in sickle cell disease (SCD), the cell culture findings may open the door to a new therapy for the debilitating blood disorder. [Press release from EurekAlert discussing research presented at the 55th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, New Orleans]
Press Release

Italian Court Rules Science Advisers Unlawful
The regional administrative court of Lazio, Italy, ruled unlawful the scientific committee that had advised the health minister not to proceed with a planned €3 million clinical trial of a controversial stem-cell therapy. [Nature News] Editorial

Stem Cell Research Faces Budget Crunch
The cash-strapped federal government’s ability to fund stem cell research has become severely limited, the top official in charge of the research told attendees at the World Stem Cell Summit. So the private sector is being encouraged to play a larger role, to take over some functions, provide order and reduce needless duplication of effort. [San Diego Union-Tribune] Editorial

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NASA, CASIS Make Space Station Accessible for Stem Cell Research
NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) are enabling research aboard the International Space Station that could lead to new stem cell-based therapies for medical conditions faced on Earth and in space. Scientists will take advantage of the space station’s microgravity environment to study the properties of non-embryonic stem cells. [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] Press Release

Jain Foundation Signs Agreement with Cellular Dynamics to Create iPSC Lines from Patients with Muscular Dystrophies
The Jain Foundation announced the signing of a Master Service Agreement with Cellular Dynamics International (CDI). CDI will create five induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from patients with these dystrophies. [Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.] Press Release

New Report on Stem Cell Research Reveals the Field is Growing Twice as Fast as the World Average
Elsevier, EuroStemCell, and Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, released “Stem Cell Research report: Trends and Perspectives on the Evolving International Landscape” at the World Stem Cell Summit. This new, comprehensive analysis of the growth and development of the stem cell field as a whole, closely examines the research landscape for embryonic stem cells, human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release | Report

Juventas Therapeutics Initiates First Clinical Trial for Retrograde Infusion of a Gene Therapy to Patients with Heart Failure
Juventas Therapeutics announced that the company has initiated enrollment of RETRO-HF, a Phase I/II clinical trial that will assess the safety and efficacy of JVS-100 administered by retrograde infusion to patients with symptomatic heart failure. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

TxCell Obtains Manufacturing Accreditation Status for Its French Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility
TxCell SA announced that it received a Manufacturing Accreditation delivered by the French National Agency for Drug Safety. The status has been received for its cell therapy production site in Besançon, France. [TxCell SA] Press Release

Methuselah Foundation Announces $1 Million “New Organ Liver Prize” in Tissue Engineering
Methuselah Foundation announced the official launch of the $1 million New Organ Liver Prize, a five-year international competition to advance the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The New Organ Liver Prize is the first in a series of whole organ challenges and awards designed to help solve the global organ shortage, which affects millions of people around the world. [Methuselah Foundation] Press Release

NeoStem’s Subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy LLC (“PCT”), Expands Manufacturing Relationship with ImmunoCellular Therapeutics for Dendritic Cell Vaccines
NeoStem, Inc. and its subsidiary, PCT, announced the expansion of PCT’s relationship with ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. a clinical-stage company that is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers, for current good manufacturing practices and development services for ImmunoCellular’s dendritic cell-based vaccines. [NeoStem, Inc.] Press Release

National Institute of General Medical Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting (FR Doc No: 2013-29020)

Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing (FR Doc No: 2013-29096)

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

NEW Clinical MD – Clinical Development Program for Oncology and Autoimmune Diseases (Immunomedics, Inc.)

NEW Chief Medical Officer (Immunomedics, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Wound Healing (University of Connecticut Health Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering (Stanford University School of Medicine)

Faculty Positions – Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (Universidad de Los Andes)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Liver Tissue Engineering (Harvard Medical School)

Research Associate – Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine (King’s College London)

Assistant Director – Regenerative Medicine Clinical Center (Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell, Cancer Biology, Immunology and Bioengineering (UC Irvine)

Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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