A new study published by ACS Nano and conducted by scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign uncovered a new way to modify stem cells. This study was conducted by Marni Boppart and Hyunjoon Kong.

Ischemia

Ischemia is a term used to describe an inadequate supply of blood to any organ or part of the body, but it is commonly used to specifically refer to a lack of blood to the heart. This can be caused by peripheral artery diseases or injuries to the body’s tissue.

It is a hard condition to treat. Essentially, new blood vessels must form in order to provide the necessary oxygen.

One solution is stem cells. They help to spark the formation of new blood vessels as well as decrease inflammation in the body. Unfortunately, these positive effects don’t last long. The stem cells quickly stop producing the factors necessary to help new blood vessels form. These factors are called paracrine factors. The researchers in this study have found a way to motivate the continued production of these factors.

The Study

This team of researchers attached TNFa or, tumor necrosis factor a, to the stem cells. This compound motivates the continued production of paracrine factors. They used nanoparticles to hold the TNFa, then they bound these to the stem cells.

This technique was tested in mouse models. Improved oxygen levels and blood flow were documented, and these effects were significant compared to controls. The mice who had undergone the treatment were able to walk faster and travel longer than they could before treatment.  

The hope is that this will become a simple, one and done procedure for patients. Doctors would collect the adipose tissue, separate the desired stem cells, add the nano stimulators, and then inject them into the patient. They believe this method would be better than others that necessitate the chemical preconditioning of the stem cells. This preconditioning can impact viability. Additionally, it can take more than 24 hours of culturing, and is not likely to have longterm effects.

You can read more about this study here.