Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 2.17 | May 4 2010

TOP STORY

Wnt Proteins Promote Bone Regeneration
Researchers gained insights into the mechanism by which Wnt signaling regulates adult bone repair through the use of the mouse strain Axin2^LacZ/LacZ in which the cellular response to Wnt is increased. [Sci Transl Med]

SCIENCE NEWS

Technique Triggers Rapid Regrowth in Damaged Bone
Imagine being able to re-grow a broken bone three times more quickly than normal. That’s just what researchers have done in laboratory mice. [Press release from Stanford University School of Medicine discussing online prepublication in Science Translational Medicine]

Research Shows Adult Stem Cells May Protect Breast Cancer Cells from Immune Responses
A research team reports that mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow may protect breast cancer cells that have metastasized to the marrow. [Press release from New Jersey Medical School discussing online prepublication in The Journal of Immunology]

Surface Chemistry Helps Direct Stem Cell Fate
United Kingdom scientists have developed a method to control the behaviour and fate of stem cells using chemically-defined nanopatterned surfaces. [Royal Society of Chemistry Press Release]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Characterization of Distinct Mesenchymal-Like Cell Populations from Human Skeletal Muscle In Situ and In Vitro
In differentiation media, both CD56⁺ and CD15⁺ cells shared osteogenic and chondrogenic abilities, while CD56⁺ cells presented a myogenic capacity and CD15⁺ cells presented an adipogenic capacity. An important proportion of cells expressed the CD34 antigen in situ and immediately after muscle dissociation. However, CD34 antigen did not persist in culture and this initial population gave rise to adipogenic cells. [Exp Cell Res]

Cancellous Bone Allograft Seeded with Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: A Potential Good Manufacturing Practice-Grade Tool for the Regeneration of Bone Defects
The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferation, morphology, osteogenic differentiation and stem cell-related gene expression during static long-term ex vivo cultivation using human mesenchymal stromal cells and cancellous bone allografts under good manufacturing practice-conforming conditions. [Cytotherapy]

WNT5A Induces Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose Stem Cells Via Rho-Associated Kinase Rock
The data illustrate the importance of Wnt5a as a stimulator of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (hASC) osteogenic differentiation, and show that changes in actin cytoskeleton controlled by ROCK are determinants for Wnt5a-induced osteogenic differentiation of hASC. [Cytotherapy]

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Increases Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Papain-Induced Emphysematous Lungs and Inhibits Apoptosis of Lung Cells
Researchers hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cell transplantation may have a protective effect on pulmonary emphysema by increasing VEGF-A expression and inhibiting apoptosis of lung cells. [Cytotherapy]

Transcriptional Profiling and Hepatogenic Potential of Acute Hepatic Failure-Derived Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Investigators determine if bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells isolated from rats in acute hepatic failure possess hepatic characteristics and have differentiation potential. [Differentiation] 

Effect of Neural-Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma on Facial Nerve Regeneration in an Acute Nerve Injury Model
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of platelet-rich plasma and neural-induced human mesenchymal stem cells on axonal regeneration from a facial nerve axotomy injury in a guinea pig model. [Laryngoscope]

The Immunosuppressive Effect of Embryonic Stem Cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Both Primary and Secondary Alloimmune Responses
The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether the embryonic stem cells and/or mesenchymal stem cells modulate both primary and secondary alloimmune responses. [Transpl Immunol] 

Fiber-Modified Adenovirus can Mediate Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Anti-Angiogenic Gene Therapy
Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAMSCs) infected with rAd-K1-5 expressed the exogenous Kringle1-5 protein, an angiogenic inhibitor, and conditioned media from HAMSCs expressing the Kringle1-5 protein blocked VEGF-induced neovascularization both in vitro and in vivo. [Biotechnol Lett ]

A New Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Paradigm: Polarization into a Pro-Inflammatory MSC1 or an Immunosuppressive MSC2 Phenotype
Researchers reported that the stimulation of specific Toll-like receptors affects the immune modulating responses of human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells. [PLoS ONE]

INDUSTRY NEWS

Mesoblast Completes Enrolment for First Spinal Fusion Trial
Mesoblast’s first trial evaluating its proprietary allogeneic, or “off-the-shelf”, stem cells for posterolateral lumbar spinal fusion, at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, has now completed enrolment, and has been fully reviewed by the Data Safety and Monitoring Board. [Mesoblast Limited Press Release]

The New York Stem Cell Foundation and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to Collaborate on Stem Cell Research
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The New York Stem Cell Foundation are establishing a collaborative program to advance the development and use of stem cells in therapies for a wide range of diseases. [The New York Stem Cell Foundation Press Release]

Osiris Receives Milestone Payment for Prochymal Development Progress in Japan
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has achieved a $1 million milestone payment from its Japanese commercial partner, JCR Pharmaceuticals, for development progress made advancing Prochymal for the treatment of acute graft vs. host disease in Japan. [Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. Press Release]

Vitro Forms Strategic Alliance With a Leading Stem Cell Company
Vitro Diagnostics, Inc., dba Vitro Biopharma, announced that it signed a contract to jointly manufacture and distribute stem cell analysis tools with HemoGenix®, Inc. [Marketwire]

Cipla Ties Up with Stempeutics for Stem Cell Therapies
Cipla, the largest Indian domestic drug manufacturer, has tied up with the Manipal Group-promoted Stempeutics Research to market stem cell-based therapies. [Business Standard]

POLICY NEWS

Science Panel Cuts Authorization Levels for Three COMPETES Agencies
The House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee scaled back proposed funding levels for three key science agencies as part of its reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. [The House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee, United States]

Commission to Boost Research and Innovation by Making it Easier to Apply for and Manage European Union Grants
The European Commission has unveiled a plan to simplify the procedures for taking part in European Union-funded research projects. [European Research, Innovation and Science Commission, European Union]

$11.5 Million for Stem Cell Therapy Research
Ontario’s provincial government has announced $11.5 million in funding support for researchers at McMaster University, who are developing stem cell-based therapies. [Global Leadership Round in Genomics & Life Sciences, Canada]

CIRM Awards $28 Million to Answer Fundamental Questions in Stem Cell Biology
At a meeting at the City of Hope, the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell agency created by Proposition 71, approved funding $28 million to support 16 Basic Biology II Awards that answer fundamental questions about stem cell biology and one Leadership Award. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, United States]

Final Opportunity to Attend a 2010 NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding & Grants Administration: Register Now for Portland, OR (June 24-25, 2010) (NOT-OD-10-092) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for: Centers of Research Translation (CORT) (P50) RFA-AR-11-002 (NOT-AR-10-035) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Predoctoral Fellows in PharmD/PhD Programs (F31) (PA-10-178) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Extension of Expiration Date for PA-07-277, PA-06-367, and PA-06-368: Research on Ethical Issues in Human Subjects Research (NOT-OD-10-086) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

List of Establishments Granted Approval for a Variance to 21CFR640.3(d) and 21CFR640.3(f) [Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States]

May 7, 2010: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement [Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States]

Considerations Regarding Food and Drug Administration Review and Regulation of Articles for the Treatment of Rare Diseases; Public Hearing [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0218] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

EVENTS

World Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2010
May 11-13, 2010
London, United Kingdom

European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Stem Cells, Tissue Homeostasis and Cancer Conference
May 12-15, 2010
Heidelberg, Germany

16th Annual International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) Meeting
May 23-26, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – European Union 2010
June 13-17, 2010
Galway, Ireland

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

United Kingdom National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) 3rd Annual Scientific Conference
July 12-14, 2010
Nottingham, United Kingdom

Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – Asia Pacific 2010
September 15-17, 2010
Sydney, Australia

5th World Congress on Preventative and Regenerative Medicine (WCRM) 2010
October 5-7, 2010
Hannover, Germany

2010 American Society for Matrix Biology (ASMB) Meeting
October 24-27, 2010
Charleston, United States

52nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 4-7, 2010
Orlando, United States

Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – North America 2010 Annual Conference
December 5-8, 2010
Orlando, United States

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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