Public release date: 22-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute

LA JOLLA, CA April 22, 2013 In a serendipitous discovery, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells.

Current techniques for turning patients' marrow cells into cells of some other desired type are relatively cumbersome, risky and effectively confined to the lab dish. The new finding points to the possibility of simpler and safer techniques. Cell therapies derived from patients' own cells are widely expected to be useful in treating spinal cord injuries, strokes and other conditions throughout the body, with little or no risk of immune rejection.

"These results highlight the potential of antibodies as versatile manipulators of cellular functions," said Richard A. Lerner, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Immunochemistry and institute professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at TSRI, and principal investigator for the new study. "This is a far cry from the way antibodies used to be thought ofas molecules that were selected simply for binding and not function."

The researchers discovered the method, reported in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of April 22, 2013, while looking for lab-grown antibodies that can activate a growth-stimulating receptor on marrow cells. One antibody turned out to activate the receptor in a way that induces marrow stem cellswhich normally develop into white blood cellsto become neural progenitor cells, a type of almost-mature brain cell.

Nature's Toolkit

Natural antibodies are large, Y-shaped proteins produced by immune cells. Collectively, they are diverse enough to recognize about 100 billion distinct shapes on viruses, bacteria and other targets. Since the 1980s, molecular biologists have known how to produce antibodies in cell cultures in the laboratory. That has allowed them to start using this vast, target-gripping toolkit to make scientific probes, as well as diagnostics and therapies for cancer, arthritis, transplant rejection, viral infections and other diseases.

In the late 1980s, Lerner and his TSRI colleagues helped invent the first techniques for generating large "libraries" of distinct antibodies and swiftly determining which of these could bind to a desired target. The anti-inflammatory antibody Humira, now one of the world's top-selling drugs, was discovered with the benefit of this technology.

Last year, in a study spearheaded by TSRI Research Associate Hongkai Zhang, Lerner's laboratory devised a new antibody-discovery techniquein which antibodies are produced in mammalian cells along with receptors or other target molecules of interest. The technique enables researchers to determine rapidly not just which antibodies in a library bind to a given receptor, for example, but also which ones activate the receptor and thereby alter cell function.

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Scientists find antibody that transforms bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells

LA JOLLA, Calif., April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a serendipitous discovery, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells.

Current techniques for turning patients' marrow cells into cells of some other desired type are relatively cumbersome, risky and effectively confined to the lab dish. The new finding points to the possibility of simpler and safer techniques. Cell therapies derived from patients' own cells are widely expected to be useful in treating spinal cord injuries, strokes and other conditions throughout the body, with little or no risk of immune rejection.

"These results highlight the potential of antibodies as versatile manipulators of cellular functions," said Richard A. Lerner , the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Immunochemistry and institute professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at TSRI, and principal investigator for the new study. "This is a far cry from the way antibodies used to be thought ofas molecules that were selected simply for binding and not function."

The researchers discovered the method, reported in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of April 22, 2013, while looking for lab-grown antibodies that can activate a growth-stimulating receptor on marrow cells. One antibody turned out to activate the receptor in a way that induces marrow stem cellswhich normally develop into white blood cellsto become neural progenitor cells, a type of almost-mature brain cell.

Nature's Toolkit

Natural antibodies are large, Y-shaped proteins produced by immune cells. Collectively, they are diverse enough to recognize about 100 billion distinct shapes on viruses, bacteria and other targets. Since the 1980s, molecular biologists have known how to produce antibodies in cell cultures in the laboratory. That has allowed them to start using this vast, target-gripping toolkit to make scientific probes, as well as diagnostics and therapies for cancer, arthritis, transplant rejection, viral infections and other diseases.

In the late 1980s, Lerner and his TSRI colleagues helped invent the first techniques for generating large "libraries" of distinct antibodies and swiftly determining which of these could bind to a desired target. The anti-inflammatory antibody Humira, now one of the world's top-selling drugs, was discovered with the benefit of this technology.

Last year, in a study spearheaded by TSRI Research Associate Hongkai Zhang, Lerner's laboratory devised a new antibody-discovery techniquein which antibodies are produced in mammalian cells along with receptors or other target molecules of interest. The technique enables researchers to determine rapidly not just which antibodies in a library bind to a given receptor, for example, but also which ones activate the receptor and thereby alter cell function.

Lab Dish in a Cell

For the new study, Lerner laboratory Research Associate Jia Xie and colleagues modified the new technique so that antibody proteins produced in a given cell are physically anchored to the cell's outer membrane, near its target receptors. "Confining an antibody's activity to the cell in which it is produced effectively allows us to use larger antibody libraries and to screen these antibodies more quickly for a specific activity," said Xie. With the improved technique, scientists can sift through a library of tens of millions of antibodies in a few days.

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Scripps Research Institute Scientists Find Antibody that Transforms Bone Marrow Stem Cells Directly into Brain Cells

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A breakthrough has been achieved in the stream of medical science. An alternative to the metallic stent has been found and is called biodegradable or bio-absorbable stents.

Difference between the two

Metallic stents which are in use for a long time now, had some disadvantages. These stents helps to keep the blocked arteries open to enable the flow of oxygen and blood, but also causes retenosis, that is, it scars up vessel tissue causing the arteries to clog again. Even though drug infused metallic stents have also been used as an alternative, it still does not lower the risks of other complications.

Biodegradable stents, on the other hand causes no such complications. It opens up the blocked arteries and dissolves itself after fulfilling its task, thus, minimizing the occurrence of any complication. It is made up of poly-l-lactide, a naturally dissolving material. It is said to dissolve in a time span of 18 months to three years. Another advantage of this stent is that it does not prevent the detection of other blockages as opposed to the metallic stents which would refract the rays of the scan, making it hard for detection.

Benefits of not having a permanent stent

One of the greatest benefits of not having a permanent stent is that it allows the lumen to expand. When a permanent metallic stent is used it does not allow the lumen to grow, thus hindering remodeling even though it allows the vessel around the stent to develop.

Another benefit is they do not produce any kind of inflammatory reactions as opposed to metallic stents.

How does a biodegradable stent work?

Arteries start getting clogged up due to the accumulation of fatty matter like chlorestol on the inner wall of the arteries that are responsible for providing blood to the heart. As it advances, it reduces the width of the lumen in return diminishing the amount of blood flowing into the heart. This is when a person undergoes a chest pain known as angina.

This disease can be arrested at the initial stage with the help of medication. But a person suffers a heart attack when the precautions are not taken, or when the artery is fully obstructed. That is when the surgical procedure of angioplasty is done. In angioplasty, a balloon is introduced into the artery through a guide wire and is inflated where the blockage is located. After this the stent is introduced so that it keeps the artery open.

The biodegradable stent releases a drug called everolimus which prevents irregular tissue growth.

Researches and studies that classify biodegradable as safe

Kunhiko Kosuga, who has a MD, PhD and is also the director of cardiology at Shiga Medical Center for Adults in Moriyana City, Japan, did a research on these new stents. He and his fellow researchers studied 44 men and 6 women who had undergone angioplasty and had used biodegradable stents to open up the affected arteries. They looked for various complications like clots, deaths, and other causes. The result is as follows:

? for the deaths associated with heart diseases, the survival rate was 98%.

? for death from all causes, the survival rate was 87%.

? there was no main cardiac problems in half the patients.

? Only four patients suffered heart attacks.

? The blood vessel involved had re-narrowed in 16% of the patients, in one year after undergoing the procedure.

? there were two clots that were found within the stent. One was due to the drug-infused stent close to the biodegradable one.

Countries who welcomed biodegradable stents

Nine European countries, Middle East, parts of Latin America and parts of Asia like India, Hong Kong, Philippines and Vietnam are already using these stents. In Europe, Asia-Pacific, Canada and Latin America, over 600 patients have taken part in the trial which aspires to have 1000 patients from over 100 centres present in these counties. Even Singapore has approved of these stents from 20th December, 2012.

However, doctors are still awaiting results for the long term effects on the patients

Even though the cost for manufacturing these stents is very expensive, doctors worldwide are optimistic that they will replace metallic stents eventually.

About The Author: Alia is a writer/blogger by profession. She loves writing, travelling and reading books. She contributes to Hydroxycut

Source:
http://www.biotechblog.org/entry/biodegradable-heart-stents-safe/

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