Cord Blood News Volume 5.38 | Sep 26 2013

A Novel Extracellular Role for Tissue Transglutaminase in Matrix-Bound Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Mediated Angiogenesis
Scientists showed that inhibition of extracellular transglutaminase (TG2) protein crosslinking or downregulation of TG2 expression leads to inhibition of angiogenesis in cell culture, the aorta ring assay and in vivo models. Knockdown of TG2 by short hairpin resulted in inhibition of human umbilical vein endothelial cell migration and tubule formation, which could be restored by adding back wt TG2, but not by the transamidation-defective but GTP-binding mutant W241A. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant for Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in First and Second Complete Remission: A Comparison with Allografts from Adult Unrelated Donors
Using Cox regression researchers compared outcomes after 116 mismatched single or double cord blood, 546 peripheral blood progenitor-cells and 140, bone marrow grafts. Patient and disease characteristics of recipients were similar except cord blood recipients were younger, more likely to be non-Caucasians and to have low white blood cell count at diagnosis. [Haematologica] Abstract | Full Article

Gene Expression Modifications in Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promoted by Prolonged In Vitro Culturing
In order to analyze specific gene expression modifications occurring in Wharton’s Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), along with their culture prolongation, scientists investigated the transcriptomic profiles of WJ-MSCs after four and 12 passages of in vitro expansion by microarray analysis. [BMC Genomics] Full Article

Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients Aged 50 Years or Older with B-Cell ALL in Remission: A Retrospective Study by the Adult ALL Working Group of the Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Researchers retrospectively assessed the outcome and pretransplantation predictors of the outcome in 118 patients aged greater than or equal to 50 years who received fludarabine-containing reduced-intensity allo-SCT for B-cell ALL in the first or second CR. Eighty patients received transplants from unrelated donors. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Plant Proteolytic Enzyme Papain Abrogates Angiogenic Activation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) In Vitro
It is known that cysteine proteases from plants, like bromelain and papain are capable to suppress inflammatory activation. Recent studies have demonstrated that they may interfere with angiogenesis related pathways as well. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of papain on HUVEC in vitro. [BMC Complement Altern Med] Abstract | Full Article

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Cord Blood Registry Files Opposition to Americord’s CordAdvantage Mark
Discovery is set to begin in a trademark opposition case brought by Cord Blood Registry against rival private cord blood bank Americord. In the case, which was brought before the Trademark Trial And Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Cord Blood Registry filed a claim opposing Americord’s use of the trademark application for CordAdvantage, alleging that it infringes upon Cord Blood Registry’s trademark CellAdvantage. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Immune Recovery After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (University of Minnesota – Twin Cities)

Faculty Positions – Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine)

Research Associate – Leukemia & Stem Cell Biology (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Differentiation of Erythrocytes and Endothelial Cells from Hemangioblast (University of Rochester)

Stem Cell Biology Researcher – Human Genetics and Stem Cell Biology (The Czech Genetic Bank Ltd.)

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

Research Technologist – Mesenchymal Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Cell Culture Media & Matrices (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

Research Associate – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Quality Control Analyst – Media (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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