Adult Stem Cells still hold the best hope for EB

The University of Minnesota is several months into a new FDA approved trial for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB), which is the most severe form.  The Edlings hope their son Daylon, scheduled to begin treatment this month, will benefit – even though the trial itself is risky. Daylon will receive a bone marrow transplant to trigger the  production of collagen VII. Of course, all of this is the “magic” of adult stem cells at work. We hope and pray the results will save Daylon’s life, and lead to the same life-saving therapies for others living with the most severe EB.  See the full story here.

See also: Cure Found for Child’s “Untreatable” Skin Disease! and Adult stem cells may help children with a severe skin disease

Cure Found for Child’s “Untreatable” Skin Disease!

Two year old Nate Liao is the first person to be successfully treated with cord blood and bone marrow stem cells to correct his epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Now doctor’s say they have set the path for a cure for his painful genetic skin disease. Those who suffer from this disease experience a life of chronic pain, blisters, sores, amputations, infections and it can eventually lead to cancer. Nate received the stem cells from his healthy brother last October. Nate’s brother Jacob, who also has the disease, received a cord-blood transplant from an unrelated donor on May 30. Watch video

While scientists back off claims that embryonic stem cells will ever treat human patients, ethical “adult” stem cells continue to impact the lives of many.

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Adult stem cells may help children with a severe skin disease

Adios, sickle cell anemia – part two

Here’s a lovely development – iPCS’s treat sickle cell anemia in mice:

Researchers followed a well-established protocol for differentiating embryonic stem cells into precursors of bone marrow adult stem cells, which can be transplanted into mice to generate normal blood cells. The scientists created such precursor cells from the IPS cells, replaced the defective blood-production gene in the precursor cells with a normal gene, and injected the resulting cells back into the diseased mice.

The blood of treated mice was tested with standard analyses employed for human patients. The analyses showed that the disease was corrected, with measurements of blood and kidney functions similar to those of normal mice.

Whether using therapies with umbilical cord cells or with reprogrammed cells, we are getting very close to proclaiming,”Hasta la vista, sickle cell anemia”.  As a carrier of this trait with children who are carriers, I couldn’t be happier for my future grandchildren!

HT to Wesley Smith

Editing to add: Check out Dr. Nuckols’ commentary on this topic.

Cord blood banking catching on

This article illustrates a steady trend across the nation; more states are enacting bills to establish and fund cord blood banks, hospitals are coming onboard,  and more  parents are offering the gift of life after giving birth. Notably, California only recently enacted a state-wide cord blood bank system . . . despite the  state’s apparent cash-rich conditions for embryonic stem cell research.

‘If it saves another life, perfect.’
When parents bring a child into the world, joy can lead to hope for others. Stem cell-rich umbilical cord blood helps treat diseases such as leukemia.

When Suzanne and Brian Eplett were expecting five years ago, they wanted to donate the baby’s umbilical cord blood so that a sick person could use the stem cells for disease treatment.But the Epletts could not find a way to give the blood to a public bank. On Tuesday, the Lilburn couple welcomed their third child, Keith, into the world at DeKalb Medical Center. They donated his cord blood to StemCyte, a company that works with the hospital to collect and store cord blood.

“I’d much rather have the cord blood be used by someone who needs it than have it be thrown away,” Suzanne Eplett, 33, said several hours after her C-section.

Likewise, Yolanda Gurley was delighted about the birth on Oct. 5 of her first child, Janiya Alexis. The new Douglasville mom also is thrilled that her daughter’s delivery could potentially save a life.

“If someone else benefits from it, if it saves another life, perfect,” said Gurley, 36.

For several years, families have been able to privately store their baby’s umbilical cord in case the baby, a sibling or other family member developed a disease that could be treated with stem cells. Now, many doctors and medical experts are encouraging families to consider donating their baby’s cord blood to public banks.

The new program at DeKalb Medical gives families in metro Atlanta an option for public donation. continue

British family campaigns for umbilical cord blood donation

Why are our hospitals throwing away the blood that could save so many lives? 

Last updated at 08:01am on 9th October 2007

Amy Winston-Hart spent many months preparing for the worst as her three-year-old daughter Eva fought a particularly vicious form of leukaemia. continue

“It was just terrible,” recalls Amy. “Eva was getting worse and there was nothing we could do to save her.”In desperation, the family spoke to the media to encourage more bone marrow donors to come forward, and more than 500 people queued at emergency donor recruitment clinics in the family’s home town of Market Harborough, Leicestershire.Again, no one was suitable.

“It was agonising,” says Amy.

“We were doing everything we could, but as time went by we really thought nothing would be found to save her life.”

A few months ago, however, Eva finally underwent lifesaving treatment.

But instead of bone marrow stem cells, she was given blood stem cells from the umbilical cord of a baby born thousands of miles away in a small town in New Jersey, America.

These immature baby stem cells can generate new cell production.

Not only that, their immaturity means they are much less likely to trigger a reaction from the recipient’s immune system, even if they are not fully matched.

Doctors are now optimistic about Eva’s future.

The disease was apparently curable only with an infusion of healthy blood stem cells from a bone marrow donor.

However, a trawl of more than 11 million people registered on the world’s databases of bone marrow donors produced not one single match.

Adios, sickle cell anemia

Does that sound cavalier? Sure, not every child with sickle cell anemia will be able to be treated with stem cells from an unaffected sibling’s umbilical cord blood, but the results of this study are really impressive. We are on our way to wiping out, in many cases, the debilitating effects of what is known as the “suffering disease”. Read more:

Sibling Umbilical Blood Transplant Cures Sickle-Cell Kids

Elizabeth Fernandez, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, September 21, 2007

Children with sickle cell disease were cured following umbilical cord blood transplants from their siblings, according to findings reported Thursday in Washington, D.C., by doctors from Children’s Hospital Oakland.

Of 43 youths across the country who received transplants from compatible siblings, 90 percent were cured, said blood specialist Dr. Bertram Lubin, senior vice president of research at Children’s Hospital.

The children in the study ranged in age from 2 to 15. They suffered from either sickle cell disease or thalassemia. About 1,000 babies are born annually in the United States with sickle cell, an inherited disorder affecting red blood cells. Thalassemia, a hemoglobin abnormality, causes anemia that can range from mild to severe. According to estimates, about 1,000 people in the United States have the condition.

“It’s a remarkable thing being able to cure a genetic disease,” said Lubin. “These kids have a new life.” continue

See also, Adios, sickle cell anemia, part two