Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 4.36 | Sep 11 2012

PTEN Loss in the Myf5 Lineage Redistributes Body Fat and Reveals Subsets of White Adipocytes that Arise from Myf5 Precursors
The developmental origin of adipose tissue and what controls its distribution is poorly understood. By lineage tracing and gene expression analysis in mice, scientists provided evidence that mesenchymal precursors expressing Myf5, which are thought to give rise only to brown adipocytes and skeletal muscle, also give rise to a subset of white adipocytes. [Cell Metab] Abstract

Effective Combination Therapy for Malignant Glioma with TRAIL-Secreting Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Lipoxygenase Inhibitor MK886
The apoptotic ligand TRAIL is believed to have promise as a cancer gene therapy, yet many types of cancer, including gliomas, have exhibited resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Researchers showed that therapeutic combination of the lipoxygenase inhibitor MK886 and TRAIL-secreting human mesenchymal stem cells provide targeted and prolonged delivery of TRAIL both in vitro and in orthotopic mouse models of glioma. [Cancer Res] Abstract

Macrophages Regulate Smooth Muscle Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells via a Prostaglandin F2α-Mediated Paracrine Mechanism
To explore the role of macrophages on mesenchymal stem cell-mediated vascular regeneration, researchers examined the effects of IL-1β-activated macrophages on differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and the vascular regenerative capacity of the differentiated SMCs in a hindlimb ischemia animal model. [Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol] Abstract

Marrow-Derived Stromal Cell Delivery on Fibrin Microbeads Can Correct Radiation-Induced Wound-Healing Deficits
Previous attempts to administer dermal cells locally to wounds to correct radiation-induced deficits were hampered by poor cell retention. Researchers improved the outcome by using biodegradable fibrin microbeads (FMBs) to isolate a population of mesenchymal marrow-derived stromal cells (MSCs) from murine bone marrow by their specific binding to the fibrin matrix, cultured them to high density in vitro, and delivered them as MSCs on FMBs at the wound site. [J Invest Dermatol] Abstract

Therapeutic Effects of hMAPC and hMSC Transplantation after Stroke in Mice
Researchers assessed the effect of human multipotent adult progenitor cells (hMAPCs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on endogenous neurogenesis, angiogenesis and inflammation following stroke. [PLoS One] Full Article

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Inflammation Microenvironment Accelerates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Inducing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Scientists demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promote human hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis under the influence of inflammation. The metastasis promoting effect could be imitated with the supernatant of MSCs pretreated with IFNγ and TNFα. [PLoS One] Full Article

TIMP3 or VEGF Transfection of Aged Human MSCs Enhances Cell Therapy after Myocardial Infarction
The authors genetically engineered old human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP3) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and evaluated the effects on the efficacy of cell-based gene therapy in a rat myocardial infarction model. [Rejuvenation Res] Abstract

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Promotes Renal Repair by Limiting Glomerular Podocyte and Progenitor Cell Dysfunction in Adriamycin-Induced Nephropathy
Repeated injections of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) limited podocyte loss and apoptosis, and partially preserved nephrin and CD2AP in adriamycin-rats. MSCs attenuated the formation of glomerular podocyte-parietal epithelial cell bridges and normalized the distribution of NCAM+progenitor cells along the Bowman’s capsule, thereby reducing glomerulosclerosis. [Am J Physiol Renal Physiol] Abstract

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Regional Cardiac Remodeling following Ovine Infarction
Data demonstrated that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell implantation improved cardiac remodeling in the region adjacent to the infarct after cardiac infarction in the ovine infarction model. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

REVIEWS

AlloCure Begins Phase II Clinical Trial in Acute Kidney Injury
AlloCure, Inc. announced that it has initiated a phase II clinical trial of AC607, the company’s mesenchymal stem cell therapy, as a potential treatment for acute kidney injury. [AlloCure, Inc.] Press Release

STEMSOFT Welcomes New EMEA Sales Director
STEMSOFT Software Inc. (STEMSOFT), the leading provider of software solutions for the cell therapy and transplant community, is pleased to welcome Isabel Feys on board as the new Director of Sales for the EMEA area. [STEMSOFT Software Inc.] Press Release

State Stem Cell Research Funding Agency Awards $37.3 Million to Aid UC Irvine Efforts
Efforts to begin human clinical trials using stem cells to treat Alzheimer’s disease and retinitis pigmentosa received a $37.3 million boost from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine during its most recent round of funding. [University of California (UC), Irvine] Press Release

Obama and Romney Tackle 14 Top Science Questions
Scientific American partnered with grassroots organization ScienceDebate.org to encourage the two main presidential candidates – Barack Obama and Mitt Romney – to answer 14 questions on some of the biggest scientific and technological challenges facing the nation. [Presidential Candidates, United States]
Press Release

U.K. Devotes £10 Million to Open Access Shift
Following up on recommendations to make more research freely available to scientists and the public, the U.K. government pledged £10 million toward making scientific papers open access. [U.K. Government, United Kingdom] Press Release

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig ²⁰¹²
November 29-30, 2012
Leipzig, Germany

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

Quality Control Operations Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Technologist – Media Development (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Research Technologist – Research and Development (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientific Communications & Publishing Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Scientist – Mesenchymal Cell Research (STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Molecular Cell Biology (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell/Diabetes Research (Johns Hopkins Medical School)

Research Associate – Quality Assurance (University of California)

Postdoctoral Position – DNA Repair and Genomic Instability in Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells (University of Rennes 1)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 55,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Mesenchymal Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or Suggestions? Email info@connexoncreative.com with your feedback.