Adult stem cells offer effective treatment for peripheric vascular disease

Washington, January 25 : Two separate studies have provided evidence that multi-potent adult progenitor stem cells extracted from bone marrow (MAPC) may offer an effective treatment for peripheric vascular disease.

Both studies-one by the University Hospital of Navarra jointly with the Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), also of the University of Navarra, and the other by the Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology atthe Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium)-prove MAPCs to be effective in the regeneration of blood vessel tissue, and also in muscle tissue when treating peripheric vascular disease.

Acute peripheric vascular disease involves the obstruction of the blood circulation in a determined area of the organism, as a consequence of the occlusion of the artery supplying blood to it, with the consequent reduction in blood flow. If it is not treated in time, the ischemia can cause various complications.

The basic effect of peripheric ischemia is an important loss of vascularisation in the affected area, as well as in the musculature.

Reported in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the research work analysed the role and potential of two different types of cell-based treatments for peripheric vascular disease. It was based on the use of experimental mice models that were treated for this blood vessel ailment using MAPC cells implant and mononucleate cells from bone marrow.

The aim behind the project was to compare the efficacy of both cell populations in the treatment of peripheric ischemia, given that the use of marrowbone cells for treatment of patients is currently being considered.

The results show that adult MAPC stem cells are more effective when injected without pre-differentiation. Not only these cells contribute in increasing the quantity of arteries and veins generated in the new area, but also manage to enhance muscle regeneration.

The study was carried out on both cell populations from mice and humans. During the research the team from the University Hospital at the University of Navarra and CIMA was responsible for the experiments with human cells, while the University of Leuven team was in charge of the tests with mice cells.

The analysis of results from both models suggests that experiments undertaken with MAPCs from mice and those from humans achieved identical benefits.

ANI