Standard Drug Tx as Good as Stem Cell Transplant for Scleroderma?
Patients who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), also known as scleroderma, did no better than others receiving conventional treatment, researchers found. In an analysis of systemic sclerosis patients enrolled in an Australian cohort study, those who would have been eligible for ASCT in either of two clinical trials […]
Brain Dysfunction, Immune Abnormalities Seen in Post-Infectious Chronic Fatigue
Fatigue in post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may stem from dysfunction of integrative brain regions that drive the motor cortex, a deep phenotyping study suggested. In an exploratory analysis of 17 ME/CFS patients and 21 healthy controls, those with ME/CFS had lower activity in the temporal-parietal junction on functional MRI (fMRI) than did controls, […]
Nutrients direct intestinal stem cell function and affect aging
The capacity of intestinal stem cells to maintain cellular balance in the gut decreases upon ageing. Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and ageing. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the […]
Companies Market Stem Cell Treatments to Long COVID Patients
Clinics that sell stem cell and exosome treatments have turned their attention to long COVID patients, researchers found. Among 38 businesses selling such treatments for COVID-19, the majority (36) marketed those therapies for long COVID, stated Leigh Turner, PhD, of the University of California Irvine, and colleagues in Stem Cell Reports. “We didn’t think the […]
Stem Cell Medical Tourism Leads to Meningitis in MS Patient
A woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had intrathecal injections of umbilical cord stem cells in Mexico ended up with a severe Mycobacterium abscessus infection that took weeks to identify and treat, according to a case study. In October 2022, the woman in her 30s traveled to Baja California, Mexico, and received two lumbar punctures […]
Be Wary of Amniotic Fluid Eye Drops, FDA Says
In its ongoing battle against companies selling unapproved stem cell products, the FDA issued a safety communication earlier this month about amniotic fluid eye drops being improperly marketed for dry eye disease. The communication links to earlier letters to two manufacturers — makers of Regener-Eyes and StimulEyes — warning that the products would need an […]
Rigid In-Hospital Diet Offers No Advantage in Patients After HSCT
NEW ORLEANS — Patients who have neutropenia after undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) do not need to restrict themselves to unpalatable hospital foods, a researcher said here. A randomized study of over 200 patients with hematologic diseases showed that patients who received a non-restrictive diet — including fresh fruits and vegetables, cold cuts, and […]
A high-fat diet in pregnant monkeys impairs fetal blood stem cells
Maternal consumption of a Western-style diet alters the transcriptional landscape of fetal blood stem cells in rhesus macaques, researchers report November 3rd in the journal Stem Cell Reports. “This discovery is the first demonstration in primates that maternal unhealthy diet and obesity disrupt the immune system in the developing fetus,” says Oleg Varlamov of the […]
New Evidence Sheds Light on Stem Cell Transplantation for Progressive MS
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) was not superior in preventing relapses or reducing disability progression than natalizumab (Tysabri) in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggested. Patients with progressive MS, advanced disability, and low pre-treatment relapse activity who had AHSCT experienced similar on-treatment frequency of relapses as matched patients treated with natalizumab over up […]
Stem cell discoveries hold potential to improve cancer treatment: Findings could lead to new ways to fight disease and help patients recover faster
Two recent discoveries by stem cell scientists at Cedars-Sinai may help make cancer treatment more efficient and shorten the time it takes for people to recover from radiation and chemotherapy. In the first study, published in the journal Blood, investigators discovered a protein that is expressed by blood stem cells that could aid in identifying, […]