Cord Blood News Volume 9.32 | Aug 17 2017

TOP STORY

Umbilical Cord Extracts Improve Diabetic Abnormalities in Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Increase Their Therapeutic Effects on Diabetic Nephropathy

Researchers demonstrated the functional abnormalities in bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) derived from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes models in vitro, which resulted in loss of therapeutic effects in vivo in diabetic nephropathy. They developed a novel method to improve abnormalities in BM-MSCs using human umbilical cord extracts, namely Wharton’s jelly extract supernatant. [Sci Rep] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

A Tissue Engineered Blood Vessel Model of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome Using Human iPSC-Derived Smooth Muscle Cells

The authors produced a functional three-dimensional model of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) that replicated an arteriole-scale tissue engineered blood vessel using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived smooth muscle cells (iSMCs) from an HGPS patient. To isolate the effect of the HGPS iSMCs, the endothelial layer consisted of human cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells from a separate, healthy donor. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Epigenetic Reprogramming Converts Human Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Functional Cardiomyocytes by Differential Regulation of Wnt Mediators

Scientists studied the differentiation of human Wharton’s jelly MSCs (WJMSCs) into the cardiomyocyte lineage via epigenetic manipulations. By induction with DC301 and DC302, WJMSCs differentiated into cardiomyocyte-like structures with an upregulation of Wnt antagonists, secreted frizzled-related protein (sFRP) 3 and sFRP4, and Dickkopf (Dkk)1 and Dkk3. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Brief Report: A Differential Transcriptomic Profile of Ex Vivo Expanded Adult Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Empowers them for Engraftment Better than Their Surface Phenotype

Researchers explored whether innovative combinations of small molecules could sufficiently, after short culture, expand adult hematopoietic stem cells while retaining their functionality in vivo. They found that five-day cultured cells in the presence of the small molecule combinations tested, achieved higher engraftment levels in NSG mice than both their uncultured and their cytokine only-cultured counterparts. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Human Herpesvirus-6 Encephalitis after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

The cumulative incidences of human herpesvirus-6 encephalitis at 100 days after transplantation in all patients, recipients of bone marrow or PBSCs and recipients of cord blood were 2.3%, 1.6% and 5.0%, respectively. Risk factors identified in multivariate analysis were male sex, type of transplanted cells and GvHD prophylaxis by calcineurin inhibitor alone. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Reduced Internalization of TNF-α/TNFR1 Down-Regulates Caspase Dependent Phagocytosis Induced Cell Death (PICD) in Neonatal Monocytes

Researchers hypothesized that TNF-α mediated induction of apoptosis is impaired in cord blood monocytes due to differences in the TNF-receptor 1 (TNFR1)-dependent internalization. Monocytes were infected with Escherichia coli-GFP. Monocyte phenotype, phagocytic activity, induction of apoptosis, and TNF-α/TNFR-expression were analyzed. [PLoS One] Full Article

Term vs. Preterm Cord Blood Cells for the Prevention of Preterm Brain Injury

Scientists compared the ability of term cord blood (TCB) versus preterm cord blood (PCB) cells to reduce white matter injury in preterm fetal sheep. Administration of TCB or PCB cells normalized white matter density and reduced cell death and microgliosis. [Pediatr Res] Abstract

HSC Niche Biology and HSC Expansion Ex Vivo

The authors discuss current knowledge of niche biology, the intrinsic regulators of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal in vivo, and introduce novel niche-informed strategies of HSC expansion ex vivo. [Trends Mol Med] Abstract

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

York Researcher Awarded £1.2 Million for New Blood Cancer Research

A University of York scientist has been granted significant new funding from Cancer Research UK to carry out research into a specific kind of blood cancer. Dr. Ian Hitchcock, Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences in York’s Department of Biology, will investigate myeloproliferative neoplasms. [University of York] Press Release

H3 Biomedicine Granted Orphan Drug Designation of H3B-8800 for Treatment of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

H3 Biomedicine Inc. announced that the FDA has granted the company an orphan drug designation for H3B-8800, its lead clinical compound for the treatment of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. [H3 Biomedicine Inc.] Press Release

Trump Offers His First List of Science Priorities, and It’s America First

President Donald Trump has translated his campaign promise to “make America great again” into his administration’s first blueprint for federal investment in science and technology. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

China’s Embrace of Embryo Selection Raises Thorny Questions

Fertility centers are making a massive push to increase preimplantation genetic diagnosis in a bid to eradicate certain diseases. [Nature News] Editorial

Budget Cuts Fuel Frustration among Japan’s Academics

Japan’s premier scientific research institution, RIKEN, turned 100 this year, and celebrated with a grand ceremony attended by the empress and emperor. But not everybody was in the mood to party. In the old days, RIKEN was known as a paradise for scientists because of its generous funding. No longer: as Japan cuts off funds in the face of continuing financial uncertainty, the cracks are starting to show. [Nature News] Editorial

New FDA Security Rules Will Bar Agency from Hiring Some Foreign Nationals

The FDA is moving to adopt a new policy on security background checks that is sowing confusion and alarm among some of its scientists. The change, described in a “communications plan” shared with the agency’s senior staff in recent weeks, appears to effectively bar the agency from hiring—as employees or contractors—foreign nationals who have not lived in the United States for a total of three out of the last five years. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Asia Pacific Vascular Biology Organization (APVBO) Conference 2017
November 17-20, 2017
Guangzhou, China

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

NEW Postdoctoral Scholar – Malignant Hematopoiesis (Penn State College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Molecular Pathogenesis of B-Cell Lymphoma (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio)

Tenure Track Assistant Professor Position – Tissue Regeneration (Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School)

Research Associate II – Myelodeplastic Syndromes and Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center)

Production Manager – Blood and Related Transfusion Products (Blood Systems Research Institute)

Assistant Professor – Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (Harvard University)

Postdoctoral Position – Cell Biology (The Scripps Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematopoietic & Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Loma Linda University)

Postdoctoral Associate – Normal & Malignant Hematopoiesis (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Ohio State University)

Assistant Associate or Full Member Faculty Position – Myeloid Malignancies (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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