08 July 2010
Medical News Today
The University of South Florida's Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair
has been granted a patent for a cell transplantation procedure combining human
umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells and a sugar-alcohol compound called "mannitol"
that may make a big difference in treating life-threatening neurodegenerative
diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis
and stroke, among others.
The technology administers the neuroprotective effect of umbilical cord blood
cells along with mannitol to permeabilize the blood-brain barrier, allowing for
the increased entry of therapeutic growth factors. Saneron CCEL Therapeutics,
Inc., a biotechnology R&D USF spin-out company located at the Tampa Bay
Technology Incubator, has licensed the technology.
"Approximately 750,000 strokes occur every year in the United States, and nearly
one third of them are fatal," said Saneron's President and COO, Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols,
MBA. "Given the devastating effects of stroke, it is imperative that we develop
new therapies to minimize damage to the brain as well as repair the damage. We
are excited about this new technology and its potential to help us develop a
variety of new products and therapies to do just that."
While transplanted HUCB cells may benefit several neurological diseases, getting
them past the blood-brain-barrier has presented a problem. The blood-brain
barrier separates circulating blood and cerebral spinal fluid in the central
nervous system. The newly patented technology is based on mannitol acting as a
blood-brain barrier permeabilizer to help get the therapeutic substances
secreted by HUCB cells past the blood-brain barrier and into the central nervous
system. Mannitol, which temporarily shrinks the tight cells that make up the
barrier, allows HUCB cells, via their secreted factors, to reach the site of
injury or disease.
"Human umbilical cord blood contains a high percentage of stem cells that when
intravenously administered can survive and differentiate into neurons in the
damaged brain. Equally appealing is their ability to secrete beneficial
molecules that potentially promote behavioral recovery," said Dr. Cesar
Borlongan, co-inventor and a USF neuroscientist and professor and consultant for
Saneron. "Because the blood-brain barrier regulates the entry of many
blood-borne substances into the brain, it may exclude potentially therapeutic
substances."
"The use of stem cell therapy as a treatment for neurodegenerative disorders
shows exciting promise, though several hurdles must be overcome and getting the
cells correctly positioned is one of those," said Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols. "This
technology provides the means to deliver the HUCB cells directly to the damaged
brain to maximize their effect."
Source:
Randolph Fillmore
University of South Florida (USF Health)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194129.php