Cord Blood News Volume 9.38 | Sep 28 2017

TOP STORY

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Erythropoietin-Producing Cells Ameliorate Renal Anemia in Mice

Researchers established a method to generate erythropoietin (EPO)-producing cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) by modifying previously reported hepatic differentiation protocols. The EPO protein secreted from hiPSC-derived EPO-producing cells induced the erythropoietic differentiation of human umbilical cord blood progenitor cells in vitro. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Safety and Efficacy of the Intravenous Infusion of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients with Heart Failure: A Phase I/II Randomized Controlled Trial (RIMECARD Trial)

The authors evaluated the safety and efficacy of the infusion of umbilical cord (UC)-MSC in patients with chronic stable heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. UC-MSC treated patients presented no adverse events related to the cell infusion and none of the patients tested at 0, 15 and 90 days presented alloantibodies to the UC-MSCs. [Circ Res] Full Article | Press Release

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Activates ERK1/2 and PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathways and Promotes the Proliferation of Human Amnion-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Scientists investigated the effect and mechanism of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on the proliferation of human amnion-derived (hAD)-MSCs. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound promoted the proliferation of hAD-MSCs. Western blot results showed that LIPUS promoted the phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2 and Akt and significantly upregulated expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E1, cyclin A2 and cyclin B1. [Cell Prolif] Abstract

Electrospun Nanofibrous Meshes Cultured with Wharton’s Jelly Stem Cell: An Alternative for Cartilage Regeneration, without the Need of Growth Factors

Scientists tested electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibrous meshes for cartilage tissue engineering. They observed higher glycosaminoglycans production and higher over-expression of cartilage-related genes from human osteoarthritic joints and Wharton’s jelly stem cells cultured with basal medium, when compared to human articular chondrocytes isolated from osteoarthritic joints. [Biotechnol J] Abstract

HucMSC Exosome-Transported 14-3-3ζ Prevents the Injury of Cisplatin to HK-2 Cells by Inducing Autophagy In Vitro

The model with exosomes secreted by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell (hucMSC-ex) pretreated human renal tubular epithelial cell lines HK-2 that could prevent the injury of cisplatin was successfully established. Pretreating cells with hucMSC-ex prevented the injury of cisplatin by reducing the number of apoptotic cells and increasing the expression level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. [Cytotherapy] Abstract

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Overexpressing Nerve Growth Factor Ameliorate Diabetic Cystopathy in Rats

Investigators determined the therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of human umbilical cord (hUC)-MSCs, which transfected with nerve growth factor (NGF) geen in ameliorating diabetic cystopathy. They transducted hUC-MSCs with NGF-expressing lentivirus so that the hUC-MSCs can express NGF efficiently, then the NGF-expressing hUC-MSCs were intrathecally administrated in L6–S1 spinal cord of diabetic rats three days after induced by streptozotocin. [Neurochem Res] Abstract

Distal-Less Homeobox 5 Is a Master Regulator of the Osteogenesis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Scientists examined the function of the DLX5 gene in MSCs during osteogenesis. They analyzed the possible association between DLX5 expression and osteogenesis-, chondrogenesis- and adipogenesis-related gene expression in different cells isolated from bone marrow and cord blood. [Int J Mol Med] Abstract | Full Article (Download)

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Ameliorate Acute Allergic Rhinitis in Rats

The effect of MSCs on the inflammation of allergic rhinitis was evaluated by sneezing, nose rubbing, the pathology of the nasal mucosa, and the expression of interleukin 4, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and immunoglobulin E in the serum of rats. Also, the population of MSCs isolated from umbilical cords of humans was evaluated to determine if they could inhibit the symptoms and inflammation of acute allergic rhinitis in a rat model. [Cell Biochem Funct] Abstract | Full Article

A Type of Human Skin Dendritic Cell Marked by CD5 Is Associated with the Development of Inflammatory Skin Disease

Researchers showed that CD5⁺ dendritic cells (DCs) can be differentiated from hematopoietic progenitor cells independently of CD5^– DCs. A progenitor population found in human cord blood and in the dermal skin layer, marked as CD34^–CD123⁺CD117^dimCD45RA⁺, was an immediate precursor of these CD11c⁺CD1c⁺CD5⁺ DCs. [JCI Insight] Full Article

Functional Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Chronic Neurodegenerative Diseases

The authors focus on the possible functional role exerted by MSCs in the treatment of some disabling neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Investigations have been mainly performed in vitro and in animal models by using MSCs generally originated from umbilical cord, bone marrow or adipose tissue. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

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Researchers Team Up to Find New Therapies for Childhood MDS, Leukemia

Two researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health will join forces to discover how a particular gene could affect a deadly, rare childhood genetic disease. [University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health] Press Release

Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc. (SPCI) Receives Rare Pediatric Disease Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Altemia^™ a Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in Children

SPCI announced that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation to Altemia^™ Soft Gelatin Capsules for the treatment of SCD in children. Altemia^™, a leading development program for SCPI, is being developed as an oral, once-a-day formulation for children between the ages of 5-17 with SCD. [Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc.] Press Release

How the Latest US Travel Ban Could Affect Science

The latest version of US President Donald Trump’s travel ban could make it harder for researchers from several countries to enter the United States to attend scientific meetings, perform research or visit relatives. [Nature News] Editorial

What’s the Evidence? Congress Struggles to Understand New Report on Evidence-Based Policy

Every member of Congress probably wants to use evidence to make better policy. But a hearing suggests it might be a mistake to press lawmakers for details, or ask what they mean by evidence. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Senate Panel Blocks NIH from Revising Translational Research Awards

A congressional spending panel has backed scientists running a $516 million network of bench-to-bedside research centers in their fight with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, over how it manages the network. It’s the latest step in a long-running tug-of-war over the direction of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards program. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Canada Names New Chief Science Adviser

Mona Nemer, a cardiology researcher and vice-president of research at the University of Ottawa, has been named Canada’s new Chief Science Adviser by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

What Germany’s Election Results Mean for Science

As Germany reels from an unexpected surge for the far right in the elections, researchers don’t expect much effect on the country’s generous support for science. But with smaller parties standing to gain political influence, battles over issues such as the regulation of gene-edited organisms and how to cut greenhouse-gas emissions could grow fiercer. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW World Advanced Therapies and Regenerative Medicine Congress 2018
May 16-18, 2018
London, United Kingdom

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

NEW Staff Scientist – Translational Hematology (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Position – Acute Myeloid Leukemia (University Hospital of Ulm)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Functional Genomics of Human Hematopoiesis (Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Associate – Biomedical and Single-Cell Genomics (Cornell University)

Assistant Professorship – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Keck School of Medicine of USC)

Technical Director – Personalized Stem Cell Banking (Brilliant Research)

Director – Allogenic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre)

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)

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

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