Monkey’s Stem Cells Reverse Parkinson’s

Washington, Jan 4: Monkey stem cells can repair damage caused to the apes’ brains by Parkinson’s disease, Japanese researchers report today.

Their study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, supports arguments that stem cells taken from days-old embryos can be used to replace damaged tissues in a range of diseases, experts said. But they also cautioned that the study was preliminary and needed much more follow-up.

The work offers hope for the treatment of the neuro-degenerative condition in humans.

Yasushi Takagi and colleagues at Kyoto University grew stem cells from early monkey embryos and coaxed them into becoming, or differentiating into, neurons. They then transplanted these into the brains of monkeys who had been given a Parkinson’s-like condition using chemical damage.

Parkinson’s is caused when key brain cells that produce the message-carrying chemical dopamine die off. Symptoms start with a trembling and patients can end up paralyzed. There is no cure.

Many scientists believe that stem cells hold great potential for the treatment of degenerative conditions as they can be coaxed into becoming one of a variety of different cells in the body.

Proponents of embryonic stem-cell research believe their field offers a good opportunity, as these cells have the ability to become a range of tissues without causing immune reactions.

Opponents say using a human embryo for such research or even treatment is unethical. Current law forbids the use of U.S. federal funds for most embryonic stem-cell research.

Jun Takahashi and colleagues coaxed monkey embryonic stem cells into becoming neurons and then added FGF20, a growth factor that is produced exclusively in the area of the brain affected by Parkinson disease.

There are also concerns about efficacy as the survival rate of the stem cell-derived brain cells may not be high enough to treat humans, according to accompanying comments from Dr J William Langston from the Parkinson’s Institute in California.

“This is most welcome, particularly for investigators working on strategies for cell replacement the United States,” Langston added, referring to the political controversy over embryonic stem cells.

Another group of researchers, including those at Jichi Medical School in Tochigi Prefecture, has also said it has conducted a similar study and observed positive effects, although it has not yet reported on its findings.

Until now, the research showing stem cell therapy can work in Parkinson’s has mainly been carried out on rodents but now these results suggest that transplantation using embryonic stem cells as a clinical therapy for Parkinson’s disease is approaching the point of technical feasibility.