Stem Cell Breakthrough

Are we on the verge of being able to heal patients using their own reprogrammed cells? A new option for stem cell treatments that could avoid the use of controversial embryos or treatment methods that risk triggering cancer may be on the horizon. Researchers at Harvard have discovered a way to convert mature cells to a form that is like an embryonic stem cell. Though much stem cell research continues to be conducted around the world, it has been a very touchy subject because of the use of embryos. Now, with the new study results—though only concluded in mice—many are very hopeful that safer and less controversial treatments may be possible.

Stem cell research has grown very quickly over the past few years. There is huge potential for treatment of several life-changing and life-threatening illnesses and diseases through stem cells. Researchers in the most recent study showed that mature cells from mice can be altered to have the same power as an embryonic stem cell and has less of a chance to cause cancer than the current method. In the current study Konrad Hochedlinger, the lead for the Harvard Researchers, used adenovirus to carry certain genes into mature cells of the mice and force them to act like embryonic stem cells. This study actually built on a previous study conducted two years ago by Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, which helped to fuel excitement in scientist for new ways to use the theory of embryonic stem cells. Yamanaka discovered a method to insert four genes into skin cells, resulting in what he termed “induced pluripotent stem cells.” Though the study discovered a new method to replace or re-grow body tissues, the treatment also has the potential to trigger cancer. Since the study results were published many scientist have been searching for a method that is safer.

They may have found one through adenoviruses, which were used in the most recent study. Adenoviruses do not lodge permanently into the DNA of cells they enter and increase the risk of cancer like the retrovirus used in Yamanaka’s research a couple of years ago. During the current study researchers performed tests to prove the stem cells that were created using mature cells from the mice acted like the embryonic stem cells and to determine if the mice had remnants of the adenovirus in their cells. Researchers discovered that after a few cell divisions the adenovirus was diluted out of the cells. There is still a lot of tests and research that needs to be conducted because things don’t necessarily work in humans the same as they do in mice and the new study didn’t prove to be very efficient.

While the study needs to be continued in humans, it has opened new avenues for stem cell treatment possibilities and may even look attractive to those that were previously opposed to stem cell research because of its use of embryonic stem cells. Hochedlinger stated, “I don’t think there’s any reason it should not reproduce in human cells,” and “We’re trying, but haven’t succeeded so far. Human reprogramming seems to be more difficult. It takes three times as long.” Scientist will now try to document the differences between the reprogrammed cells and an embryonic stem cell and determine if the reprogrammed cells can be used to develop into a heart, liver, muscle, and blood as the embryonic stem cells do.