'Reprogrammed' stem cells
fight Parkinson's disease in monkeys
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[August 31, 2017] By
Ben Hirschler
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have
successfully used "reprogrammed" stem cells to restore functioning brain
cells in monkeys, raising hopes the technique could be used in future to
help patients with Parkinson's disease.
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Since Parkinson's is caused by a lack of dopamine made by brain
cells, researchers have long hoped to use stem cells to restore
normal production of the neurotransmitter chemical.
Now, for the first time, Japanese researchers have shown that human
induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) can be administered safely and
effectively to treat primates with symptoms of the debilitating
disease.
So-called iPS cells are made by removing mature cells from an
individual - often from the skin - and reprogramming them to behave
like embryonic stem cells. They can then be coaxed into
dopamine-producing brain cells.
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The scientists from Kyoto University, a world-leader in iPS
technology, said their experiment indicated that this approach could
potentially be used for the clinical treatment of human patients
with Parkinson's.
In addition to boosting dopamine production, the tests showed
improved movement in affected monkeys and no tumors in their brains
for at least two years.
The human iPS cells used in the experiment worked whether they came
from healthy individuals or Parkinson's disease patients, the
Japanese team reported in the journal Nature on Wednesday.
"This is extremely promising research demonstrating that a safe and
highly effective cell therapy for Parkinson's can be produced in the
lab," said Tilo Kunath of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine,
University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research.
The next step will be to test the treatment in a first-in-human
clinical trial, which Jun Takahashi of Kyoto University told Reuters
he hoped to start by the end of 2018.
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Any widespread use of the new therapy is still many years away, but
the research has significantly reduced previous uncertainties about
iPS-derived cell grafts.
The fact that this research uses iPS cells rather human embryonic
stem cells means the treatment would be acceptable in countries such
as Ireland and much of Latin America, where embryonic cells are
banned.
Excitement about the promise of stem cells has led to hundreds of
medical centers springing up around the world claiming to be able to
repair damaged tissue in conditions such as multiple sclerosis and
Parkinson's.
While some treatments for cancer and skin grafts have been approved
by regulators, many other potential therapies are only in
early-stage development, prompting a warning last month by health
experts about the dangers of "stem-cell tourism".
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by Louise Heavens)
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