Cord Blood News Volume 10.35 | Sep 6 2018

TOP STORY

Family Tree of Blood Production Reveals Hundreds of Thousands of Stem Cells

Adult humans have many more blood-creating stem cells in their bone marrow than previously thought, ranging between 50,000 and 200,000 stem cells. Researchers developed a new approach for studying stem cells, based on methods used in ecology. [Press release from the Wellcome Sanger Institute discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Interferon Priming is Essential for Human CD34⁺ Cell-Derived Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Maturation and Function

Data from CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) showed that HSPC-plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) with genetic modifications could be obtained, and that expression of the type I interferon-α receptor was essential for the optimal function, but dispensable for the differentiation, of HSPC-pDC percursor. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Coronary Stents with Inducible VEGF/HGF-Secreting UCB-MSCs Reduced Restenosis and Increased Re-Endothelialization in a Swine Model

Compared to a bare metal stent or a parental umbilical cord blood-derived MSC (UCB-MSC)-coated stent, the stents with stem cells capable of the controlled release of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) successfully reduced restenosis within the stent and induced natural re-endothelialization. UCB-MSCs exhibited the ability to differentiate into endothelial cells in Matrigel, and HGF and VEGF improved this differentiation. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

HLA Mismatched Donors in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome: An EBMT Registry Analysis

Patients receiving a haplo-identical transplantation (haplo) were at lower risk of acute GVHD than with a mismatched unrelated donor but at similar risk than from an unrelated mismatched cord blood donor. Progression-free survival was better after haplo and overall survival tended to be superior after haplo. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Comparison between the Effect of Human Wharton’s Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Levetiracetam on Brain Infarcts in Rats

Both MSCs and levetiracetam (LEV) improved memory and learning in treated groups compared with an ischemia/reperfusion group. Significant reduction of the infarct size in Wharton’s jelly-derived MSCs- or LEV-treated groups when compared with untreated ones was found. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Therapy Protects Cerebral White Matter from Systemic LPS Exposure in Preterm Fetal Sheep

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration increased microglial aggregate size, neutrophil recruitment, astrogliosis and cell death compared with controls. Umbilical cord blood cell therapy attenuated cell death and inflammation, and recovered total and mature oligodendrocytes, compared with LPS. [Dev Neurosci] Abstract

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Hematopoiesis News & Cell Therapy News.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Autoimmune Diseases: More than Just Prolonged Immunosuppression

The author summarizes the current clinical experience in the use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in autoimmune disease and explores the concept of durable remission induction and tissue de-remodeling via restoration of normal niche function and “immune reset”. [Curr Opin Hematol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cord blood research field.

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Awards Grant to Critical Path Institute to Advance Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease

In a continuing effort to spur advancements in treating and curing sickle cell anemia, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation announced a grant to the Critical Path Institute to lay the groundwork for forming a collaboration of multiple stakeholder organizations to accelerate the development of therapies for the disease. [Critical Path Institute] Press Release

Verastem Oncology Announces Investigator Sponsored Study on Duvelisib in Combination with Venetoclax

Verastem, Inc. announced dosing of the first patient in a multicenter Phase I/II clinical trial at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center of duvelisib in combination with venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. [Verastem, Inc.] Press Release

South Africa Pushes Science to Improve Daily Life

South Africa’s science system is set for its biggest shake-up in 20 years, amid proposed legislation changes that aim to make research efforts better serve citizens and address problems such as poverty and unemployment. It also reaffirms a key government goal to boost total research and development spending from 0.8% to 1.5% of gross domestic product in the next decade. [Nature News] Editorial

AACR Apologizes for Delays in Retracting Papers

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has issued retractions, corrections, or editor’s notes for a handful papers across five of its journals and is sorry for the time it’s taken to do so, according to a statement published in Cancer Research. [The Scientist] Editorial

Google Unveils Search Engine for Open Data

Google has unveiled a search engine to help researchers locate online data that is freely available for use. The company launched the service, saying that it is aimed at “scientists, data journalists, data geeks, or anyone else”. [Nature News] Editorial

UK ‘Missing Out’ on Overseas Students

University leaders are calling for changes to the UK visa system to allow international students to stay and work for two years after they graduate. Universities UK says otherwise overseas students, worth £26bn to the UK economy, will opt for countries such as the US, Canada and Australia. [The BBC] Editorial

NEW 2019 Highlights of ASH^® in Asia-Pacific
February 23-24, 2019
Bangkok, Thailand

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Epigenetics of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development and Disorders (Nationwide Children’s Hospital)

NEW Bioinformatician – Single Cell Biology and Reprogramming (Lund University Stem Cell Center)

Adjunct Principal Investigator Positions – Molecular Medicine (CeMM and LBI-RUD)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Interdisciplinary (Oregon Health & Science University)

Institute Sr Research Scientist – Flow Cytometry (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Post-Doctoral Fellow or Research Scientist – Transplant Immunology (Medical College of Wisconsin)

Postdoctorial Research Fellow – Transplantation and Tumor Immunology (Medical University of South Carolina)

Faculty Investigator – Cancer (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Associate – Gene Regulation and/or Cancer Biology (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Scientific Research Positions – Various Subjects (Shanghai General Hospital)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Cord Blood News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.