Cord Blood News Volume 9.39 | Oct 5 2017

TOP STORY

Synthetic Microparticles Conjugated with VEGF₁₆₅ Improve the Survival of Endothelial Progenitor Cells via MicroRNA–17 Inhibition

The authors report a pro-survival approach based on vascular endothelial growth factor-immobilized microparticles (VEGF-MPs). VEGF-MPs prolonged VEGF receptor 2 and Akt phosphorylation in cord blood-derived late outgrowth endothelial progenitor cells (OEPCs). In vivo, OEPC aggregates containing VEGF-MPs showed higher survival than those treated with soluble VEGF. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Occurrence of Graft-versus-Host Disease Increases Mortality after Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Report from Eurocord and the ALWP of the EBMT

Investigators evaluated the kinetics of relapse rate in correlation to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurrence after umbilical cord blood transplantation. At two years, the cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 42%, the cumulative incidence of relapse was 32% and overall survival was 32% as well. Relapse rates declined gradually over time during the first 30 months after transplantation. [J Intern Med] Abstract

Chronic Toxicity Test in Cynomolgus Monkeys for 98 Days with Repeated Intravenous Infusion of Cynomolgus Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Researchers observed the safety, immunological effect of cynomolgus monkey umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (mUC-MSCs) injected into cynomolgus monkeys, in order to evaluate the safety of human umbilical cord MSCs prepared for human clinical application. The safe dosage of repeated intravenous infusion of mUC-MSCs in cynomolgus monkeys was 1.0 × 10⁷/kg, which is ten times of that in clinical human use. [Cell Physiol Biochem] Full Article

Long-Term Recovery after Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells or Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Administration in a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

The authors evaluated and compared ready-to-use human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) and bankable, but allogeneic, endothelial progenitors (ECFC) as cell therapy candidate for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. They compared benefits of HUCBC and ECFC transplantation 48 hours after injury in male rat neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy model, based on the Rice-Vannucci approach. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

The hUC-MSCs Cell Line CCRC-1 Represents a Novel, Safe and High-Yielding HDCs for the Production of Human Viral Vaccines

Scientists established a three-tiered cell banking system of a human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) line, designated previously as Cell Collection and Research Center-1 (CCRC-1). The full characterization indicated that the banked CCRC-1 cells were free from adventitious agents and remained non-tumorigenic. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Exosomes of Human Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stimulate Angiogenesis

The authors evaluated placental tissue-derived MSC-derived exosome (PlaMSC-exo) angiogenesis promotion in vitro and in vivo. PlaMSC-exo were incorporated into endothelial cells; these exosomes stimulated both endothelial tube formation and migration, and enhanced angiogenesis-related gene expression. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) Signaling Improves the Angiogenic Potential of Wharton’s Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (WJ-MSC)

Scientists characterized the expression of the SHH pathway components in WJ-MSC primary cultures and evaluated their angiogenic responsiveness to SHH signaling. Their results showed that WJ-MSC express components of the canonical SHH pathway and are activated by its signaling. They provided evidence of basal autocrine/paracrine SHH signaling in WJ-MSC. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

In Vitro Cartilage Construct Generation from Silk Fibroin-Chitosan Porous Scaffold and Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Dynamic Culture Condition

Umbilical cord blood derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were seeded on freeze dried porous silk-fibroin/chitosan scaffolds. Influence of static and dynamic culture conditions on the developing cartilage construct were studied by in vitro characterization for viability, proliferation, distribution and chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs over the scaffold. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract

Challenges and Strategies for Improving the Regenerative Effects of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Therapies

The authors review the major factors that hamper successful cell engraftment and the strategies that have been studied to enhance the beneficial effects of cell therapy. They provide a perspective on whether mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicle delivery, as a cell-free regenerative approach, may circumvent current cell therapy limitations. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

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

UC Davis Receives $8 Million to Expand Access to Stem Cell Clinical Trials

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded a nearly $8 million grant to University of California (UC), Davis, stem cell researchers to launch a special clinical trials program in Sacramento to accelerate the therapeutic development and delivery of stem cell therapies in human patients. [University of California, Davis] Press Release

Cryoport to Provide Nohla Therapeutics with Cutting Edge Cold Chain Logistics to Support Clinical Programs

Cryoport, Inc. announced that Cryoport will provide its leading edge cold chain logistics solutions to support Nohla Therapeutics’ clinical studies evaluating its universal donor cell therapy, NLA101, in patients with hematologic malignancies and other critical diseases. [Cryoport, Inc.] Press Release

Does Your State Get Its Fair Share of Federal Research Dollars?

The only physicist in Congress has introduced a bill (H.R. 3763) that could rekindle a debate over how to deal with geographic disparities in the allocation of federal research funding. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Judge Recommends Ruling to Block Internet Access to Sci-Hub

The American Chemical Society (ACS) brought a case against Sci-Hub, a pirate site providing access to scientific articles, for copyright and trademark infringement. Following a hearing at a court in Virginia, Magistrate Judge John Anderson filed a report that recommended ruling in favor of ACS on all counts. [The Scientist] Editorial

After Upheaval, Russian Academy of Sciences Gets New Leader

After months of uncertainty, the Russian Academy of Sciences finally has a new leader. Russian President Vladimir Putin approved physicist Alexander Sergeyev as the academy’s president for the next five years. Sergeyev has vowed to secure more money for Russian science and create a fund, through a new tax on fossil fuel company profits, for upgrading the country’s antiquated research infrastructure. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 16^th International Cord Blood Symposium
June 14-16, 2018
San Diego, California, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Mesenchymal Stem Cells (University of Southern California)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellowship – Development & Epigenetics (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematopoietic Stem Cells (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Staff Scientist – Translational Hematology (University of Copenhagen)

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

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

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)

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