Update on Human Stem Cells & Parkinson’s

Two weeks ago I posted the news that a Japanese research team seems to have cured Parkinson’s disease in monkeys by implanting human stem cells in their brains.  The stem cells came from adult humans, some of whom had PD and others who did not.  Their cells were configured to produce dopamine in the monkeys’ brains.  The scientists observed the monkeys for two years, during which their PD symptoms dissipated significantly.  Furthermore, there were no serious side effects.

The researchers’ next step is to try this out with humans, beginning next year.  If these human trials are successful, perhaps the treatment will be available for all Parkies five years after that.

Here are some additional facts that I uncovered after my initial post:

• Brain scans showed that the monkeys’ brains had increased amounts of dopamine.  (click!)
• After the initial stem cells were transplanted, the number of dopamine-producing cells in the brain increased over the next nine months, then leveled off.  (click!)
• The scientists were able to identify specific genes in the stem cells that resulted in the monkeys’ improved health. (click!)
• Post-transplant follow-up was done via MRI and PET scans, neither of which is invasive.  (click!)

Here are two quotes, one positive and the other cautionary, from the same article (click!):

Good News!

Dr Tilo Kunath, a Parkinson’s UK-funded researcher at the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This is extremely promising research demonstrating that a safe and highly effective cell therapy for Parkinson’s can be produced in the lab.

“Such a therapy has the potential to reverse the symptoms of Parkinson’s in patients by restoring their dopamine-producing neurons.

“The next stage will be to test these therapies in a first-in-human clinical trial.”

However…

Prof Tom Foltynie, of the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, said,  “Overall, the results they report in the short term are encouraging and provide some reassurance that these cells can function as sources of dopamine to address those movement symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that relate to dopamine loss.

“No-one expects that transplants will address the non-dopamine, non-movement aspects of Parkinson’s disease such as dementia and falls, which ultimately emerge with very long-term follow up.”

In other words, I’m still going to work out at the gym, swim laps in the pool, and climb some serious mountains.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons, taken by Karl Marquez of the University of California, San Diego at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine.