Category Archives: Texas Stem Cells

MD Anderson News Release 05/04/2012

Prostate cancer cells that defy treatment and display heightened tumor-generating capacity can be identified by levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) expressedin the tumor cells, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in the May 3 edition of Cell Stem Cell.

Using a new technique, we were able for the first time to separate low-PSA and high-PSA prostate cancer cells. This led to the discovery of a low-PSA population of cancer stem cells that appears to be an important source of castration-resistant prostate cancer, said study senior author Dean Tang, Ph.D., professor in MD Andersons Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis.

Hormone therapy is used to block production of testosterone, which fuels prostate cancer growth, via either chemical or physical castration. Tumors eventually resist this approach.

In cell lines and mouse model experiments, the low-PSA cells resisted chemotherapy and thrived under hormone deprivation, the two main prostate cancer drug treatments , the researchers found.

Low-PSA cells were found to be both self-renewing and capable of differentiating into other prostate cancer cell types upon division, a hallmark of stem cells called asymmetric cell division.

Asymmetric cell division is the gold standard feature of normal stem cells, Tang said. Using time-lapse fluorescent microscopy, we were able to show asymmetric cell division by filming a low-PSA cell dividing into one high-PSA cell and one low-PSA cell.

Their findings point to the need to develop new therapeutics to target low-PSA prostate cancer cells that can be combined with hormone therapy to wipe out cancer cells and prevent recurrence.

Low-PSA tumors associated with advanced prostate cancer

Previous research by others indicated that low-PSA tumor cells are rare in early stage disease but become more abundant in advanced prostate cancer. And patients whose tumors were composed of more than 50 percent PSA-positive cells enjoyed longer survival.

See original here:
Scientists Identify Prostate Cancer Stem Cells Among Low ...

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise Inhibiting the action of a particular enzyme dramatically slows the growth of tumor cells tied to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations which, in turn, are closely tied to breast and ovarian cancers, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Senior investigator and NYU Langone cell biologist Agnel Sfeir, PhD, says that if further experiments prove successful, these findings could lead to a new class of targeted therapies against cancers with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. The researchers findings in experiments in mice and human cells are described in the journal Nature online Feb. 2.

Dr. Sfeir and her collaborators say their discovery about the enzyme called polymerase theta, or PolQ resulted from efforts to answer a fundamental biological question: How do cells prevent the telomere ends of linear chromosomes, which house our genetic material, from sticking together? Cell DNA repair mechanisms can stitch together telomeres broken as part of cell metabolism. But such fusions, the researchers say, compromise normal cell growth and survival.

In the purest biological sense, our findings show how this particular enzyme, which we know is active in several tumors, promotes unwanted telomere fusions by inserting whole segments of DNA via a disruptive DNA repair pathway termed alt-NHEJ, says Dr. Sfeir, an assistant professor at NYU Langone and its Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine and a member of NYUs Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. It was quite remarkable to find that by blocking PolQ action, cancer cell growth was cut by more than half.

For the study, Dr. Sfeir and colleagues at the Scripps Research Institute focused their analysis on telomeric DNA. They noted that as the chromosome ends were being joined, whole sections of new genetic material were being inserted into the telomeric DNA suggesting that any of a dozen or more DNA-synthesizing polymerase enzymes were at work. Researchers then focused on PolQ, in part because it is known to be active in several tumors, including breast and ovarian, but also in liver and colon cancers. Breast and ovarian cancers are among the leading causes of cancer death among women in the United States.

Additional experiments confirmed that PolQ is needed to activate the alt-NHEJ pathway of DNA repair. Unlike the main, error-free pathway or HDR pathway the alt-NHEJ pathway does not use a related chromosomes genetic material as a template to meticulously correct any damaged genetic material. As such, alt-NHEJ is highly likely to leave coding mistakes.

Our studies will continue to look at how the alt-NHEJ pathway operates, Dr. Sfeir adds, and what biological factors cells use in addition to PolQ to choose between the error-prone or error-free DNA repair pathways.

Funding support for the study was provided by the Breast Cancer Alliance, the V-Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, a Pew Scholars Award, the Novartis Advanced Discovery Institute, National Institutes of Health grant AG0386677, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology, as well the University of Texas at Austin, and from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas.

Link:
New Pathway for Stalling BRCA Tumor Growth Revealed

Dr Weglein is certified in prolotherapy. He has given many lectures on prolotherapy both nationally and internationally, and is considered to be a professor on the topic of regenerative medicine. PRP therapy offers a promising solution to accelerate healing of tendon injuries and osteoarthritis naturally without subjecting the patient to significant risk. PRP is an emerging treatment in a new health sector known as "Orthobiologics." The philosophy is to merge cutting edge technology with the body's natural ability to heal itself. Prolotherapy also called Regenerative injection treatment (RIT), takes its name from the increase in healthy tissue that develops after the injection. The osteopath's role is to find structural alterations and by manipulation, improve the structure and therefore the function. By restoring these, the whole body will maintain better overall health. Viscosupplementation, in which hyaluronic acid (HA) is injected into the knee joint, has evolved into an important part of our current therapeutic regimen in addressing the patient with knee pain due to OA. Trigger point injection (TPI) is used to treat extremely painful areas of muscle. Normal muscle contracts and relaxes when it is active. A trigger point is a knot or tight, ropy band of muscle that forms when muscle fails to relax. Bone marrow cells are among those most used for treating ailments that can be aided by cell injection therapies. This is due to the fact that cells from bone marrow are particularly good at adapting. By injecting these cells into the blood stream, many conditions can be vastly improved. Medical acupuncture is acupuncture performed by a physician or other licensed health care professional who has training in the medical/health sciences. Physicians also may have training in acupuncture, but most jurisdictions do not require physicians to obtain training in the field prior to treating patients using acupuncture. Ultrasound has been used to evaluate fracture union and nonunion, infection, ligamentous injury, nerve compression, and mechanical impingement

Here is the original post:
Stem Cell Injection Houston | Stem Cell Houston Texas

What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is a research study in which patients may volunteer to take part. The Stem Cell Center (SCC) at the Texas Heart Institute uses clinical trials to further the understanding of stem cells in relation to heart disease.

Clinical trials are part of a long, careful process, which may take many years. First, doctors study a new treatment in the lab. Then they often study the investigational treatment in animals. If a new research treatment shows promise, doctors then test it on people. Doctors do this in three to four steps, or phases. Phase I trials test to see if an investigational treatment is safe in people. Phase II trials test for efficacy. Phase III trials test if a new treatment is better than a standard treatment. Finally, the goal of Phase IV trials is to find more information about long-term side effects.

Is it safe?

The Stem Cell Center's most important job is to ensure the safety of patients.

First, the SCC ensures patient safety by following well-planned, FDA approved protocols. A protocol:

Second, the SCC ensures patient safety by using a careful informed consent process.

Third, our Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) protect patients by reviewing protocols and monitoring trials. The IRBs are committees of doctors, nurses, chaplains, social workers, lawyers and patients. They make sure that trials follow federal laws and that patients are protected.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) audits the IRBs' files. Also, FDA officials may visit the SCC at any time and review anything they choose related to clinical trials.

Am I able to take part?

Read the rest here:
Clinical Trials and Current Research at the Stem Cell ...

Saturday, 20 December 2014 12:07

LOS ANGELES: Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe has made an "astonishing" recovery after receiving stem cell treatment earlier this month from a Mexico-based medical firm, the Howe family said on Friday.

The 86-year-old Hall of Famer, who suffers from severe dementia, has gone from being bedridden in a semi-comatose state to walking on his own and doing daily chores as he "shuffles" around his daughter's Texas home, the family said in a statement.

"We are thrilled that Dad's quality of life has greatly improved, and his progress has exceeded our greatest expectations," the family wrote.

Howe underwent two days of a stem cell clinical trial from Tijuana-based firm Novastem. Two days after the start of treatment Howe was talking to the nurses, the family said.

After three days he left the hospital and walked on his own to the airplane, and after five days he was "taking part in helping out with household chores."

The family said his treatment included injecting neural stem cells into the spinal canal.

"His response was truly miraculous. His short-term memory, strength, endurance and coordination have plenty of room for improvement. We are hopeful that he will continue to improve in the months to come."

Howe suffered a serious stroke on October 26 and because of his deteriorating condition he had to be hospitalized at the beginning of December.

Confined to his bed and unable to speak or communicate, Howe had to rely on the nurses and family to feed him. Doctors said at one point he was "unresponsive" for 30 minutes.

Read the original here:
Howe shows steady progress following stem cell treatment

How many clinics in Texas market stem cell procedures? What interventions do they promote? How many adult stem cell banks are located in Texas? How do they advertise their services?

There does not appear to be a comprehensive record of stem cell banks and clinics marketing stem cell procedures within the state of Texas. I am therefore trying to determine how many stem cell banks and clinics marketing stem cells in Texas can be found using an approach that a patient or customer might take when searching the Internet. In an effort to locate such businesses, I used Google search engine and entered such terms as stem cells Texas, stem cell clinics Texas, cosmetic surgery stem cell Texas, orthopedic surgery stem cell clinic Texas, and anti-aging stem cells Texas. In total, I found twenty businesses marketing what they describe as stem cell procedures as well as three stem cell banks. During my search I also noticed and recorded a spa marketing plant stem cells and a dentist who advertises dental stem cell storage. Most facilities market what they describe as adult stem cell procedures. However, I found one clinic advertising stem cells taken from amniotic fluid and another facility promoting bovine stem cells to prospective customers. While Im skeptical that Ive managed to find all such businesses, the list below documents at least some of the businesses currently banking adult stem cells or promoting stem cell procedures in Texas. If you are familiar with additional banks and clinics or identify any errors in my list please feel welcome to leave a comment and help me revise this list.

Finally, please note that this list is provided to assist with the process of identifying and tracking stem cell banks in Texas as well as businesses marketing stem cells. I am not recommending or promoting any of these businesses. See FDA Warns About Stem Cell Claims for an important public safety message concerning marketing of stem cell procedures.

CLINICS MARKETING STEM CELL PROCEDURES

1. Advanced Skin Fitness

Location: Dallas-Fort Worth

Summary: markets iRevival and Vampire Facelift procedures intended to promote stem cell rejuvenation

Excerpt: Stem Cell Treatments: iRevival, Vampire Facelift. What if you could experience an utterly transformative change to your facial appearance in just a single skin rejuvenation treatmentwithout surgery or general anesthesia? Its now possible in a revolutionary procedure exclusive to patients of Advanced Skin Fitness located in Dallas, Texas. Created by Clinical Director William A. Moore, the treatment utilizes a combination of proven technologies of fractional laser resurfacing and stem cell technology to create unprecedented results in a fraction of the time of other techniques.

2. Advanced Surgical Arts

More:
Adult Stem Cell Banks and Clinics Marketing Stem Cell ...

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

3-Dec-2014

Contact: Glenna Picton picton@bcm.edu 713-798-4710 Baylor College of Medicine @bcmhouston

HOUSTON - (Dec. 3, 2014) - A novel mechanism - similar to how normal tissue stem cells respond to wounding - might explain why bladder cancer stem cells actively contribute to chemo-resistance after multiple cycles of chemotherapy drug treatment. Targeting this "wound response" of cancer stem cells can potentially provide a novel approach for therapeutic invention, said researchers from the National Cancer Institute-designated Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

The results of their study appear online in the journal Nature today.

"Treatment for advanced bladder cancer is limited to surgery and chemotherapy. There are no targeted treatments available," said Dr. Keith Syson Chan, an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology and of urology and the corresponding author on the report. "The chemotherapy response is far from ideal so the clinical goal is to advance research into this area and uncover a much more targeted approach."

Together with co-lead authors Antonina Kurtova, a graduate student in the Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Program at Baylor, and Dr. Jing Xiao, research assistant in urology at Baylor, Chan and his team sought out to identify mechanisms underlying the development of resistance in bladder cancer that has invaded the muscles. They found that regrowth of cancer stem cells actively contributes to therapy resistance between drug treatment cycles.

"This is a paradoxical mechanism leading to resistance, one we didn't expect," said Chan. "The cancer stem cells actively regrow and respond to the induced damage or apoptosis (cell death) caused by chemotherapy in between the different cycles, similar to how normal tissue stem cells respond to wound-induced damages."

The proliferation is stimulated by the release of a metabolite (or factor) called prostaglandin E2 or PGE2 from the dying cells, which causes the cancer stem cells to repopulate tumors that were reduced in size by chemotherapy, they found.

In normal cells, this is a part of the wound repair process when PGE2 induces tissues stem cells to regrow; in cancer PGE2 ironically induces regrowth of more cancer stem cells in between chemotherapy cycles, Kurtova and Xiao said.

Read more:
'Wound response' of cancer stem cells may explain chemo-resistance in bladder cancer

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-Oct-2014

Contact: Herb Booth hbooth@uta.edu 817-272-7075 University of Texas at Arlington @utarlington

A UT Arlington bioengineering professor has received a $1.04 million grant from the U.S. Army that aims to regenerate cartilage tissue and reduce osteoarthritis using a patient's own stem cells, spurred through the injection of microscaffolding made of biodegradable polymers.

Liping Tang, a bioengineering professor and interim chair of the bioengineering department, said the research is primarily focused on helping soldiers who are severely injured on the battlefield.

"We've found that if we inject microscaffolding that we've developed into the injured area, it can trigger the stem cell generation needed for proper healing," Tang said.

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis develops as a result of improper healing of joints, which turn arthritic. It often occurs in soldiers with broken bones from blasts, shrapnel and gunshot wounds.

Joints and cartilage are surrounded by stem cells that need instruction in where to go and what to do, Tang said.

"The microscaffolding recruits a patient's stem cells that are needed in the healing process," Tang said. "Biomolecules will be released from the scaffolds to transform stem cells into cartilage cells to form new cartilage tissue while reducing the symptoms associated with arthritis."

Tang said this new treatment is aimed at not only reducing posttraumatic osteoarthritis symptoms but also curing it by regenerating new cartilage tissue using patients' own stem cells.

See the original post here:
UTA researcher uses microscaffolding injections to mend cartilage, prevent osteoarthritis

Elderly people who received treatment had their vision improved, study says Children who suffer from common form of blindness in young also benefited Some can now do things like read their watch and also work on a computer Expert said even small improvements are 'huge difference to quality of life' Critics say it's wrong to plunder unborn child for spare parts for science

By Fiona Macrae Science Correspondent

Published: 18:28 EST, 14 October 2014 | Updated: 02:30 EST, 15 October 2014

A revolutionary stem cell jab has restored the gift of sight, research suggests.

Men and women with severe age-related macular degeneration, the most common form of blindness in the elderly, are able to see better after having tens of thousands of embryonic stem cells injected into the back of their eye.

Children with Stargardts disease, the main cause of blindness in the young, have also benefited.

Researcher Robert Lanza said that one patient who underwent the trial even 'went to the mall for the first time' (file photo)

Some can now do things most of us take for granted like reading their watch or working on a computer. But one man is able to ride horses again and one of the patients has gone to a shopping mall for the first time.

Researcher Robert Lanza, a world-leading stem cell expert, said that even seemingly small improvements have made a huge difference to quality of life. Others described his work as a major accomplishment.

All of those who took part in the landmark trial had advanced eye disease and were blind in one eye. However, Dr Lanzas goal is to treat people early in the disease process to stop them from ever going blind.

See more here:
Could stem cell jab help elderly blind see again?

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise The Broach Foundation for Brain Cancer Research has made a $5 million commitment to support glioblastoma multiforme research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In recognition, the institution has named two patient pods at the Brain and Spine Center. The first one is named in memory of the late James Broach and the other is in honor of the foundation he and his wife, Jamie, established in 2011, months after he was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

Theres no known cure for glioblastoma, and the low survival rate hasnt improved in years, due in part to inadequate funds for clinical research. In hopes of changing the statistics, the Broach Foundation directed its inaugural grant in 2012 toward research led by Jamess physician, Frederick Lang, M.D., professor and director of clinical research in Neurosurgery. Dr. Langs lab focuses on a viral smart bomb developed at MD Anderson by Juan Fueyo, M.D., professor in Neuro-Oncology - Research, called Delta-24-RGD, a type of cold virus thats engineered to infect and kill tumor cells. Lang pioneered the use of mesenchymal stem cells to deliver this virus and other biological therapies to brain tumors. Though James died at age 38 in 2013, the foundation continues to raise funds to support Lang and other collaborators at MD Anderson.

Philanthropy drives innovative research, which in turn drives the whole process of discovering new treatments and delivering them to the patient, said Lang. Thanks to the Broach Foundations generous support, we have promising clinical trials underway that mean hope for patients and their friends and loved ones coping with the effects of this deadly disease.

Fighting cancer with laughter Laughter and a positive outlook have been powerful weapons for the Broach family in their fight against a disease that is in no way funny. The couple chose to fight cancer with a combination of hard work and humor. They planned a comedy theme for their first gala fundraiser in May 2012 and called it Stand-Up for Brain Cancer. Actor, comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Kevin Nealon entertained a sold-out crowd at the River Oaks Country Club. Comedian Dennis Miller headlined the sold-out May 2013 event, followed by fellow Saturday Night Live alum Dana Carvey last April. Through gala proceeds, the Broach Foundation has contributed $1.7 million toward its $5 million commitment.

Were grateful to everyone who has contributed so generously to our foundation. The more we spread the news about the cutting-edge research taking place at MD Anderson and how brain cancer research continues to be underfunded, the more excited people become about wanting to join the cause, said Jamie.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Foundation representatives will view recognition plaques and attend a reception, 5-7 p.m. Sept. 15, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, R11 (access via elevator B), Rooms 2-3. Parking for media in Texas Medical Center Garage 10 will be validated.

Read this article:
Broach Foundation Commits $5 Million to Brain Cancer Research