Patients with severely impaired liver function often require a transplant, but due to a scarcity of donor livers, fail to receive timely treatment. Now in a breakthrough, a recent research has been successful in producing patient-specific hepatocytes from skin cells. The study results have been published in the journal Hepatology. Continue Reading

The ethical and moral issues associated with the use of human embryonic stem (HESC) cells for treatment of diseases, have contributed to extensive research in the reprogramming of human somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). Now, a team of US researchers has zeroed in an effective way to transform human blood cells into iPS cells, which could provide a readily accessible source for generating stem cells and also a potential alternative to embryonic stem cells. The study results were pre-published online in the March issue of the journal Blood. Continue Reading

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, adult somatic cells induced in vitro to pluripotency through the expression of certain genes, hold great promise in regenerative and stem cell research. Now, researchers have successfully converted stem/progenitor cells from adult testis into pluripotent embryonic-like stem cells without the use of any additional genes. The results of the study are published in the online issue of the journal Stem Cells and Development. Continue Reading

Scientists have successfully created induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) from human skin cells that could function as an alternative source for stem cell therapies. However, the use of viruses for genetic modification increases the risk for developing cancerous conditions that could limit the clinical applications of this method. Now, a recent study published in the online issue of the journal Nature reports that the non-viral transfection and subsequent elimination of reprogramming factors is an efficient and safe strategy to transform somatic cells to iPS cells Continue Reading

The first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial study conducted to evaluate the efficacy of gene therapy against HIV has proven to be safe and biological active in affected individuals. The study results, published in the online issue of the journal Nature Medicine also suggests the potential of developing this novel cell-delivered gene transfer technique into a once-only treatment against HIV. Continue Reading

Pancreatic islet transplants have been found to be potentially advantageous than whole-gland transplant for the treatment of type I diabetes. However, its clinical use is limited due to post-transplantation challenges such as poor revascularization, host immune rejection, and nonspecific inflammatory response. Now, a recent study published in the December issue of the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics has reported that genetic modification of islet cells through gene silencing may aid in improving its effectiveness as well as extending its clinical use. Continue Reading

Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, have observed that immature fat cells reside in the adipose vasculature, and make use of excess calories to grow into adult cells, resulting in fat accumulation. The discovery of the exact location of these progenitor cells may facilitate the development of methods that can potentially prevent, or even treat, obesity and its related ailments. Further, this may also facilitate the utilization of these cells for reconstructive purposes, such as in breast restoration following lumpectomy. Continue Reading

A DNA vaccine against the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 – Positive (HER2-positive) breast cancer has demonstrated efficacy in lab studies by completely eliminating HER2-positive tumors in mice models. The findings of the study have been published in the September issue of Cancer Research. Continue Reading

Most colorectal carcinomas are characterized by the abnormal activation of the β-catenin pathway; however, genetic abnormalities responsible for complete malignant transformation of the cancer are unknown. Now, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts have identified cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), a previously unsuspected gene that regulates cell cycle progression, to modulate β-catenin pathway, leading to the proliferation of colon cancer. The current discovery, published in the advanced online issue of the journal Nature, could help in the development of drugs that target CDK8 for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Continue Reading

Scientists at the Harvard University, Massachusetts, US, have achieved a revolutionary goal in regenerative medicine, by transforming pancreatic cells from adult mice into insulin-producing β-cells without reversion to the pluripotent stem cell phase. The technique, called “direct reprogramming’, marks a significant step towards the development of novel treatment strategies for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Continue Reading