Scientists have just discovered a new stem cell-derived therapy that can heal damaged parts of the brain following cancer radiation treatments. The treatment uses microscopic vesicles that are derived from stem cells. They can be transfused without the risks normally associated with a standard stem cell transfusion.
Stem cells have shown great potential for treating brain damage. There are many ongoing studies which are looking at the ability of stem cells to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other brain injuries. This latest stem cell-derived therapy obtains the advantages of using them without the risk.
Micro-vesicles are membrane structures secreted by cells. Once transplanted into mice with brain damage caused by radiation, micro-vesicles can reduce inflammation, restore some cognitive function and protect nerve cells.
The risks associated with brain stem cell transplants include tumour growth and immune system rejection. By extracting and transplanting micro-vesicles instead of stem cells, scientists obtain the benefits of a stem cell transplant without the risk. The results of this study were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.
Micro-vesicles are tiny sacs filled with plasma. The plasma contains a variety of materials including various proteins and RNA. When micro-vesicles are added to the brain, they can also help regulate the functionality of neurones and assist with tissue regeneration.
This new stem cell-derived therapy carefully extracts the micro-vesicles from multipotent human neural stem cells. They are then injected into a section of the brain called the hippocampus. This section is where new neurones are generated.
The rats used in the experiment were tested one month after receiving their injections. Researchers noticed clear improvements in their cognitive function. There was also a reduction in inflammation, indicating that damage to the brain caused by the radiation had been reversed or halted.
Source: Safer Stem Cell-Derived Therapy for Brain Radiation Recovery
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