Adult stem cells from blood to cure wrinkles - by Hilary White

GLASGOW, September 11, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) -  British researchers announced this week that they may have discovered a cure for wrinkles using stem cells taken from a person’s blood. A Glasgow based biotechnology company, Pharmacells, has announced they will begin human clinical trials next year on a method of inducing stem cells taken from blood to replace the skin’s own cells as they break down during the aging process. 

Athol Haas, the company’s chief executive, told British media, “The skin has a natural elastic property which comes from cells known as fibroblasts. 

“The ability of the body to produce this elastic material slows down with age because the number of these fibroblasts decrease. 

“By introducing large numbers of stem cells into the right place, we are increasing the ability of the body to produce this material. It is still in its early stages but we hope to begin phase one trials within the next 12 months.” 

Pharmacells owns the patent on a method of harvesting, isolating and storing a newly discovered type of blood derived adult stem cell. The company says they have created a private stem cell bank, which people can use to store their cells “for future use in personalised medicine”. 

“We also supply ‘our’ adult cell line into many types of research projects, allowing others access to one of the more significant stem cell lines available anywhere in the world.”

Older methods of obtaining stem cells from fat are not as successful, he said, being able to produce only five or ten million at a time. The company says that as many as 500 million stem cells can be obtained from only a small amount of normal blood, collected in the same way as any regular blood test. 

“By introducing large numbers of stem cells into the right place, we are increasing the ability of the body to produce this natural material. It will be long lasting, we think at least five years if not longer,” Haas added.

Blood-derived, or haematopoietic stem cells are currently used in treatment of some cancers, and researchers are working towards using them to treat a variety of illnesses including leukemia and kidney diseases. Pharmacells hopes to use its method of extracting stem cells to work towards treatments for heart disease and osteoarthritis.

Nuevo éxito científico utilizando células del cordón umbilical de un recién nacido

In InfoCatólica

(María Valerio/El Mundo/InfoCatólica) El director del Centro de Medicina Regenerativa de Barcelona, en colaboración con su 'otro' laboratorio, en el Instituto Lak de La Jolla (California, EEUU) ha logrado la transformación directa de unas células en otras, con un solo 'ingrediente' y sin necesidad de hacer retroceder a las células a su estadio embrionario. Eso son precisamente algunos de los puntos fuertes del trabajo, que han reducido el riesgo de que las células resultantes desarrollen cáncer como resultado de la manipulación, y ha permitido además que las neuronas resultantes sean plenamente funcionales al ser implantadas en el cerebro de roedores.

«En realidad, las células de cordón pueden considerarse hasta cierto punto células madre con ciertas limitaciones», explica Izpisúa a ELMUNDO.es; «ésta es la razón de que puedan modificarse y dirigir su 'destino' con cierta flexibilidad». De hecho, señala, aunque el potencial del cordón umbilical como fuente de células madre era bien conocido (no obstante, se usa desde hace décadas para el trasplante de médula ósea), «nunca se había logrado una conversión directa a otro tipo de células funcionales, en este caso neuronas».

«Es pronto para concluir que las neuronas son seguras», admite aún así con cautela. «Hemos tenido especial cuidado en elaborar una metodología que evite el uso de oncogenes [en el proceso de transformación] e incluso hemos logrado obtener neuronas sin cMyc, que se había relacionado con la aparición de tumores», explica el investigador español. Por eso, las células cerebrales obtenidas sólo con Sox2 son «en principio, más seguras». Además, la transformación directa (de cordón umbilical a neurona, sin necesidad de convertirlas primero en células embrionarias pluripotenciales), evita por definición el riesgo de ciertos tumores embrionarios, como los llamados teratomas.

Precisamente, aunque numerosos bancos privados en el mundo funcionan bajo el reclamo de que algún día las células del cordón umbilical de un recién nacido podrán servir para tratar enfermedades como el Alzheimer, el investigador albaceteño es cauto en este sentido y recuerda que sus hallazgos servirán sobre todo para 'recrear' en el laboratorio el origen de patologías neurológicas como el Alzheimer o el Parkinson. «En realidad, tanto los bancos privados como los públicos asumen que en un futuro más o menos próximo podamos utilizar las células almacenadas para el tratamiento de enfermedades que hoy son intratables». De momento, añade, su siguiente objetivo es crear neuronas un poco más específicas que las logradas en este trabajo, y convertir el cordón umbilical en neuronas dopaminérgicas, que podrían ayudar al estudio y tratamiento de una patología como el Parkinson.

Juan Carlos Izpisua

Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte (Hellín - Albacete, 1960) es un bioquímico y farmacéutico español, especializado en el campo de la biología del desarrollo. Es profesor de investigación y ejerce la cátedra Roger Guillemin en el Laboratorio de Expresión Génica del Instituto Salk de Estudios Biológicos en La Jolla, California.

Vatican Congress on Stem Cells cancelled - an interview of M. Schooyans - by C. Glatz, for CNS

Were you part of the group of members that called for its cancellation or did you know about people being opposed to it?

I was not directly part of the group of members of the Pontifical Academy for Life who called for the cancellation of the Pontifical Academy for Life Conference on Stem Cells. The Academicians being opposed to this conference had already reacted in 2009 against the statement of a member of the Vatican Curia about the Recife Affair. The unique concern of those Academicians is fidelity to the teaching of the Catholic Church about the respect of human life from the beginning to the natural death and about the defense of the family.

I understand there was opposition to speakers who are vocal proponents of embryonic research. Do you know why the academy invited these researchers? 

A previous question must be considered: Who selected and invited the speakers? On which criterions were they chosen? Who was approached to sponsor this meeting? Is it not to be feared that the weight of those persons could interfere on some running process? I observe that there were different organizers, some of them surprising. Were they unanimous in inviting the different participants? Were the positions of the participants on embryonical research known by the organizing committee? Happy enough some members of the Academy were better informed than the organizing committee!

I know the Pontifical Academy of Sciences invites speakers that don’t agree with the church on many matters, and the academy’s invitation to speak does not indicate an endorsement of these people’s views. Does the Academy for Life have a different procedure? Are all speakers at a PAL event expected to uphold church teaching? 

It is true that the Pontifical Academy of Sciences invites speakers that don’t agree with the Church on many matters, and, generally speaking, it is a good thing because the Academicians can discuss and exchange their points of view. But a subject like the respect of human life, especially of the most vulnerable, is non-negotiable. The halls of the Holly See should not be put at the disposal of researchers whose positions are in open disagreement with the teaching of the Church about life. Besides, because they were invited by the Vatican, some of those researchers will proclaim everywhere that the Church is changing her position about the research on embryo.

Will the academy still hold a conference on stem cells in the future?

It will be convenient to consider holding some other conference on adult stem cells in the future. Obviously, it will be important to stress the necessity of experimenting on animals rather than on human embryos. It is urgent as well to show that the researches on adult stem cells are much more promising than the researches on embryonic stem cells. Amidst the scientific community, the researches about embryonic stem cells are strongly controversial, both from the scientific and the ethical points of view. The Church cannot take the risk of being manipulated about topics which are so fundamental. She must support a vision of the Medicine which helps the patient, and not a vision that kills him. This is the reason why it was opportune to cancel the April-planned Congress.

Mgr Michel Schooyans

michel.schooyans@uclouvain.be

Michel Schooyans, Emeritus Professor of Political Philosophy at the Louvain University, is an Ordinary Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and a member of several international scientific societies.

Some extracts of this interview appeared in the article of Carol Glatz, “Organizers: Vatican congress on stem cells canceled for lack of funds”,

Pro Manuscripto.

Critic points out media bias against adult stem cells

By Marianne Medlin

Seattle, Wash., Nov 25, 2011 / 08:52 am (CNA).- After researchers in California called off a major U.S. embryonic stem cell study, a legal expert says that most major news outlets have given zero coverage to the far superior benefits of adult stem cells.

“Since embryonic stem cells were first derived, the media has told a materially unbalanced story,” said Wesley J. Smith, a lawyer and senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism.

Smith said in a Nov. 23 interview with CNA that successful adult stem cell clinical trials “have either been ignored totally, or generally underplayed as story after story has claimed adult approaches offer more limited benefits than embryonic.”

His remarks come as the California-based biopharmecuetical company Geron announced on Nov. 18 that it has dropped a widely publicized embryonic stem cell research study.

Geron said that the FDA-approved study, which began in 2009 in attempt to treat spinal chord injuries, would have to end due to “capital scarcity.”

Fr. Tomasz Trafny, a member of the Vatican’s Council for Culture, said the move shows how companies are beginning to see that it's “not worth it to invest money, energy,” and “human potentiality” in embryonic stem cell research.

The decision by Geron to end its study is significant “because they publicly acknowledge that that they don't see any significant improvements in that research,” he told CNA on Nov. 23.

Fr. Trafny said the shut down is also important because “it shows that those who focused on adult stem cells were right not only because of potential clinical applications but also from ethical point of view.”

The priest is a key player in the Vatican's recent and unprecedented contract with NeoStem, a public firm pioneering new medical research with adult stem cells.

He noted that stem cells are the body’s master cells from which all of the body’s 200-plus types of tissue ultimately grow. Their versatility allows for potential in providing replacement tissue to treat countless illnesses and disorders.

However, despite the widespread advances of adult stem cell research as a potential cure, Wesley argued that media coverage on the topic has been scarce if not non-existent.

“No one forced editors and reporters to ignore the press releases and published studies that described the ongoing and very encouraging adult stem cell successes. They simply usually chose to overplay embryonic and underplay adult stem cell research in their reporting.”

Smith believes that a contributing factor to this is that the media generally view issues through a political or religious lens.

He said that “disdain for pro-life views” as well as “anti-Catholic” sentiments can impact a particular news outlet's analysis “of what constitutes an important story.”

“The media are particularly biased on 'cultural' issues and the embryonic stem cell controversy fits right in with that paradigm,” he added.

Smith said that in order to counteract this dynamic, alternative media “has to keep setting the record straight” and stay factually accurate in their reporting.

“In doing so, it is important that they not engage in the same journalistic malpractice from the other side,” he noted. “In other words, stick to the facts and don’t engage in the same kind of hype that the pro-embryonic stem cell research media have.”

Smith also said it's necessary to remind people “that the field is still young and many of the encouraging adult stem cell successes constitute early experimentation.”

“This is important both as a matter of credibility—the double standard that cuts against 'conservative' views may be unfair but it isn’t going away—and as an example of what real journalism looks like.”

Nunca puede justificarse destrucción de una vida humana, dice el Papa

Uso de las células estaminales embrionarias no respeta derecho a la vida

VATICANO, 12 Nov. 11 / 10:52 am (ACI/EWTN Noticias)

Al recibir a los participantes del congreso internacional sobre las células estaminales adultas, el Papa Benedicto XVI señaló que la ciencia sirve al hombre y explicó que nunca puede justificarse la destrucción de una vida humana.

En la Sala Clementina del Palacio Apostólico, el Santo Padre se dirigió a los participantes del congreso "Células estaminales adultas: La Ciencia y el futuro del hombre y la cultura", a quienes recordó que dado que el hombre ha sido creado a imagen y semejanza de Dios, "hay dimensiones de la existencia humana que van más allá de los límites de lo que las ciencias naturales pueden determinar".

"Si los límites son trasgredidos, existe un serio riesgo de que la dignidad única y la inviolabilidad de la vida humana sean subordinadas a consideraciones puramente utilitarias. Pero si en vez de ello esos límites son debidamente respetados, la ciencia puede hacer especiales contribuciones a la promoción y salvaguarda de la dignidad del hombre: de hecho, en este reside su verdadera utilidad".

El Papa explicó luego que "el hombre, agente de la investigación científica, a veces, por su naturaleza biológica, hará parte de lo investigado. Sin embargo, su dignidad trascendente lo hace siempre el último beneficiario de la investigación científica y nunca puede reducirse a un instrumento".

"En este sentido –continuo– los beneficios potenciales de la investigación con células estaminales adultas son muy considerables, dado que abre una serie de posibilidades para curar enfermedades degenerativas crónicas al reparar tejido dañado y restaurar su capacidad de regeneración".

Así, indicó, "la mejora que tales terapias prometen constituye un significativo paso adelante en la ciencia médica, dando nuevas esperanzas a quienes sufren y también a sus familiares de igual modo".

"Por esta razón –aseguró el Papa– la Iglesia naturalmente brinda su aliento a quienes están comprometidos en conducir y apoyar la investigación de este tipo, siempre con la premisa de que se hará respetando el bien integral de la persona humana y el bien común de la sociedad".

Esta premisa, dijo Benedicto XVI "es muy importante. La mentalidad pragmática que con frecuencia influencia la toma de decisiones en el mundo de hoy está demasiado predispuesta a sancionar cualquier medio disponible para obtener el fin deseado, pese a las amplias evidencias de las consecuencias de ese modo de pensar".

"Cuando el fin en perspectiva es uno tan deseable como el descubrimiento de una cura para una enfermedad degenerativa, es una tentación para los científicos y quienes elaboran las políticas eliminar las objeciones éticas y presionar con cualquier investigación que parezca siquiera ofrecer un prospecto de un descubrimiento".

El Papa advirtió que "quienes defienden la investigación con células estaminales embrionarias con la esperanza de lograr un resultado cometen un grave error al negar el inalienable derecho a la vida de todos los seres humanos desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte natural".

"La destrucción de una sola vida humana nunca puede justificase en términos de los beneficios que podría presumiblemente dar a otro", precisó el Santo Padre.

El Papa explicó también que, en general, "no existen problemas éticos cuando las células estaminales son tomadas de los tejidos de un organismo adulto, del cordón umbilical al momento del nacimiento o del feto que ha muerto por causas naturales" como lo indica la Instrucción Dignitas Personae de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe.

En la parte final de su discurso el Papa Benedicto indicó que es un deber de justicia permitir que todos se beneficien de los resultados de las investigaciones que siguen los parámetros éticos y recordó la gran labor de la Iglesia para que todas las personas accedan a la atención digna de la salud.

Tras encomendar a los participantes a la intercesión de la Virgen María, el Papa elevó sus oraciones para que "vuestro compromiso con la investigación de las células estaminales adultas traiga grandes bendiciones para el futuro de hombre y el genuino enriquecimiento de su cultura".

Benedict XVI Supports Adult Stem Cells Research

In Vatican.va

12. 11. 2011

Dear Brother Bishops,
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,
Dear Friends,

I wish to thank Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, for his kind words and for promoting this International Conference on Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture. I would also like to thank Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Workers, and Bishop Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life for their contribution to this particular endeavour. A special word of gratitude goes to the many benefactors whose support has made this event possible. In this regard, I would like to express the Holy See’s appreciation of all the work that is done, by various institutions, to promote cultural and formative initiatives aimed at supporting top-level scientific research on adult stem cells and exploring the cultural, ethical and anthropological implications of their use.

Scientific research provides a unique opportunity to explore the wonder of the universe, the complexity of nature and the distinctive beauty of life, including human life. But since human beings are endowed with immortal souls and are created in the image and likeness of God, there are dimensions of human existence that lie beyond the limits of what the natural sciences are competent to determine. If these limits are transgressed, there is a serious risk that the unique dignity and inviolability of human life could be subordinated to purely utilitarian considerations. But if instead these limits are duly respected, science can make a truly remarkable contribution to promoting and safeguarding the dignity of man: indeed herein lies its true utility. Man, the agent of scientific research, will sometimes, in his biological nature, form the object of that research. Nevertheless, his transcendent dignity entitles him always to remain the ultimate beneficiary of scientific research and never to be reduced to its instrument.

In this sense, the potential benefits of adult stem cell research are very considerable, since it opens up possibilities for healing chronic degenerative illnesses by repairing damaged tissue and restoring its capacity for regeneration. The improvement that such therapies promise would constitute a significant step forward in medical science, bringing fresh hope to sufferers and their families alike. For this reason, the Church naturally offers her encouragement to those who are engaged in conducting and supporting research of this kind, always with the proviso that it be carried out with due regard for the integral good of the human person and the common good of society.

This proviso is most important. The pragmatic mentality that so often influences decision-making in the world today is all too ready to sanction whatever means are available in order to attain the desired end, despite ample evidence of the disastrous consequences of such thinking. When the end in view is one so eminently desirable as the discovery of a cure for degenerative illnesses, it is tempting for scientists and policy-makers to brush aside ethical objections and to press ahead with whatever research seems to offer the prospect of a breakthrough. Those who advocate research on embryonic stem cells in the hope of achieving such a result make the grave mistake of denying the inalienable right to life of all human beings from the moment of conception to natural death. The destruction of even one human life can never be justified in terms of the benefit that it might conceivably bring to another. Yet, in general, no such ethical problems arise when stem cells are taken from the tissues of an adult organism, from the blood of the umbilical cord at the moment of birth, or from fetuses who have died of natural causes (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction Dignitas Personae, 32).

It follows that dialogue between science and ethics is of the greatest importance in order to ensure that medical advances are never made at unacceptable human cost. The Church contributes to this dialogue by helping to form consciences in accordance with right reason and in the light of revealed truth. In so doing she seeks, not to impede scientific progress, but on the contrary to guide it in a direction that is truly fruitful and beneficial to humanity. Indeed, it is her conviction that everything human, including scientific research, "is not only received and respected by faith, but is also purified, elevated and perfected" (ibid., 7). In this way science can be helped to serve the common good of all mankind, with a particular regard for the weakest and most vulnerable.

In drawing attention to the needs of the defenceless, the Church thinks not only of the unborn but also of those without easy access to expensive medical treatment. Illness is no respecter of persons, and justice demands that every effort be made to place the fruits of scientific research at the disposal of all who stand to benefit from them, irrespective of their means. In addition to purely ethical considerations, then, there are issues of a social, economic and political nature that need to be addressed in order to ensure that advances in medical science go hand in hand with just and equitable provision of health-care services. Here the Church is able to offer concrete assistance through her extensive health-care apostolate, active in so many countries across the globe and directed with particular solicitude to the needs of the world’s poor.

Dear friends, as I conclude my remarks, I want to assure you of a special remembrance in prayer and I commend to the intercession of Mary, Salus Infirmorum, all of you who work so hard to bring healing and hope to those who suffer. I pray that your commitment to adult stem cell research will bring great blessings for the future of man and genuine enrichment to his culture. To you, your families and your collaborators, as well as to all the patients who stand to benefit from your generous expertise and the results of your work, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you very much!

Traqueia criada fora do corpo a partir de células estaminais do próprio doente

In RTP Notícias

Alguns cirurgiões realizaram o primeiro transplante de um órgão artificial, uma traqueia criada fora do corpo a partir de células estaminais do próprio doente, anunciou o Hospital Universitário Karolisnka, em Estocolmo.

A traqueia foi implantada há cerca de um mês num doente de 36 anos, que sofria de cancro e estava a fazer actualmente o seu doutoramento na Islândia. Segundo o hospital, o paciente está a recuperar bem da cirurgia.

A utilização de um órgão criado com células do próprio doente elimina a possibilidade de rejeição, um dos problemas mais comuns nas operações de transplante. Segundo os especialistas, estas traqueias podem ser criadas em menos de uma semana, explica a BBC.

Paolo Macchiarini, cirurgião italiano, foi o responsável por esta operação e pensa agora utilizar a mesma técnica para tratar uma criança de nove meses da Coreia que nasceu com uma malformação da traqueia.

Para criar a traqueia artificial, os especialistas começaram por fazer um modelo em três dimensões da traqueia do doente e depois uma cópia em vidro desse modelo. Segundo explica a BBC, a estrutura em vidro foi depois embebida numa solução de células estaminais do doente, que começaram a multiplicar-se e a ganhar a forma pretendida.

Finalmente, depois de a forma final da traqueia ser atigida, os cirurgiões procederam à remoção da estrtura de vidro e ficaram com uma cópia da traqueia do doente que transplantaram. As células estaminais, células que têm a possibilidade de se transformar em qualquer tipo de célula do corpo humano, foram retiradas da medula espinal do doente em causa.

Na operação, que demorou 12 horas, Paolo Macchiarini começou por remover o tumor (que tinha já o tamanho de uma bola de golfe e dificultava a respiração do doente) e substituiu a traqueia pelo órgão artificial criado em laboratório. Macchiarini considera esta operação revolucionária: "Trata-se de uma traqueia sintética. O mais importante é que se pode ter uma quase imediatamente, Não há atrasos, porque esta técnica não depende de dadores humanos".