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Breakthrough: Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, but Study Shows Adult Stem Cells Can Heal Them

By Peter J. Smith

CHAPEL HILL, NC, June 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Scientists have continued to expand the horizons for adult stem-cell therapies, with new research revealing the latest stem-cell breakthrough for people whose broken bones fail to heal, especially sufferers of osteoporosis.

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have unveiled research that shows transplantation of adult stem-cells to the site of a fracture can improve vastly the healing of broken bones and give real hope to those who suffer from them.

"This finding is critical to patients who lack the proper healing process and to individuals prone to broken bones, such as those with osteoporosis and the rare genetic condition known as brittle bone disease," said Dr. Anna Spagnoli, an associate professor of pediatrics and biomedical engineering in the UNC School of Medicine and senior author of the UNC study.

The study reveals that normally in the course of healing a fracture, a person's stem-cells migrate to the site of the break, where they form the cartilage and bone that will knit the broken bones back together. However, more than 600,000 Americans every year suffer from fractures that do not heal according to this process, meaning these bones stay broken, and can cause severe pain, bone deformities, and even death.

"Man-made materials do not address the normal bone's function, and recurrent fractures, wear and toxicity are a real problem," Spagnoli said. "There is clearly a need to develop alternative therapies to enhance fracture healing in patients with bone union failure."

In order to discover the healing potential of adult stem-cells, scientists transplanted adult stem-cells taken from the bone marrow of mice that produce luciferase, the molecule that allows fireflies to glow in the dark. The researchers had also engineered the stem-cells to express a molecule called "insulin-like growth factor 1" (IGF-1). IGF-1 helps bones to grow in size and strength.

The UNC researchers transplanted the stem-cells into mice that had fractures of the tibia with an intravenous injection and then put the mice in a dark box where they could watch the glowing stem-cells traveling within them. The stem-cells were attracted to the fracture site, where a molecule called CXCR4 acted as a homing beacon that was necessary for the cells' migration.

A CAT scan showed the stem-cells improved healing at the fracture site by increasing the bone and cartilage between the bone gaps. The bone in the treated mice was about three times stronger than that of untreated mice, whose bones were permitted to heal naturally.

"The beauty of regenerative medicine is that we are helping the body improve its innate ability to regenerate healthy tissue on its own, rather than introducing manmade materials to try to patch up a broken bone," Spagnoli said.

Spagnoli added that the team chose adult stem-cells over the unethical embryonic stem-cells, because adult stem-cells are present in all tissues of the body and are easier to manipulate. In this case, the team chose stem-cells from bone marrow since the procedure to gain such cells was minimally invasive and needed the easiest method.

Doctors would need only a teaspoon of bone marrow from a patient to obtain what scientists call mesenchymal stem-cells, which have the potential to turn into bone, cartilage, fat, muscle and blood vessel cells. The patient's own stem-cells would not face immune rejection from the body - another strike against embryonic stem-cells, which are known to cause tumors.

The researchers say further trials on animal models will be necessary before their research can be developed into a safe and effective therapy in human patients.

The study was presented Monday at the annual Endocrine Society meeting in San Francisco by the first author, Froilan Granero-Molto, Ph.D., a post-doctoral associate researcher in UNC's pediatrics department.

Other co-authors of the study include Dr. Lara Longobardi, UNC assistant professor of pediatrics, along with the following researchers from Vanderbilt University: Dr. Michael Miga, assistant professor of biomedical engineering; Dr. Jared A. Weis, postgraduate fellow in biomedical engineering; Benjamin Landis, medical student; and Lynda O'Rear, research specialist.

Funding for the study came from the National Institutes of Health.

The research from the US scientists is the latest success in the field of adult stem-cell research, following closely a study released earlier in June by Australian researchers that showed promise for sufferers of Parkinson's disease. Scientists with Griffith University used a technique to obtain adult stem-cells from the nose that successfully developed into dopamine-producing brain cells - giving the search for a cure for Parkinson's more real hope than ever.

See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:

Scientists Say Cure for Parkinson's Disease Right under Their Noses
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061206.html

Skeptical Stem Cell Researcher Admits New Adult Stem Cell Findings Are Hopeful
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jan/07011705.html

Australian Research Team Finds Stem Cell Gold in the Nose
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/mar/05032208.html

Spinal Cord Injuries Improved Years Later with Patients' Own Olfactory Cells
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06072104.html

Adult Stem Cell Research: True Potential Sacrificed for Other Possibilities Says Biotech Writer
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06061311.html

Embryonic Stem Cell Therapies to Cure Disease is "Pure Folly", Says MIT Prof
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05121209.html

Success Stories with Adult Stem Cells Coming in Almost Too Fast to Track
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05012007.html

UK Researcher: Cord Blood Real Potential for Cures, Not Embryonic Stem Cells - Part 1
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/aug/06081804.html

UK Researcher: Embryonic Stem Cells Have Never Been Used to Treat Anyone and no Plans Exist to do so
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/aug/06082401.html

Study: Human Embryonic Stem Cells May Cause Brain Tumors
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/oct/06102309.html

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