Characterisation of Adipose Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

Project Member(s): Milthorpe, B., Santos, J.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Schwartz Foundation

Start year: 2014

Summary: Therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and trauma have been a focal point of regenerative medicine research in recent years. The caveat that remains is the lack of understanding about the underlying mechanisms which cause a number of these diseases. This is the case for Multiple sclerosis (MS), which is an inflammatory disease that affects millions of patients worldwide in which the insulating myelin sheath of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged [1, 2]. The disease causes a wide variety of disruptions including physical and mental degradation [3]. A number of hypotheses exist about the underlying mechanisms that initiate the disease, one of which proposes the autoimmune disease in which the destruction of the nerve cells is caused by the patient¿s immune system [2]. An inflammatory model also was proposed due to genetic variation and environmental factors such as infections [4]. There is no cure for MS however cellular based treatments have attempted to improve function and prevent new attacks [5]. As of August 2013, the US-FDA have approved for intrathecal injection of bone marrow derived stem cells directed toward a neural progenitor into the cerebrospinal fluid of 27 MS patients. Preclinical testing has revealed that post stem cell injection, brain inflammation was reduced and myelin was repaired while also decreasing patient symptoms. The attempt of retrieving adult mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow is a very painful procedure yielding a small population of usable stem cells. All adult tissue contains a proportion of stem cells. Adipose tissue has an abundant and easily accessible reservoir of stem cells or adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) which can be acquired from lipoaspirates [6].

Publications:

Santos, J, Milthorpe, BK, Herbert, BR & Padula, MP 2017, 'Proteomic Analysis of Human Adipose Derived Stem Cells during Small Molecule Chemical Stimulated Pre-neuronal Differentiation', International Journal of Stem Cells, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 193-217.
View/Download from: Publisher's site

Belic, NK, Padula, M, Milthorpe, B & Santos, J 1970, 'Multiple sclerosis: a disease in a dish', MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL, Progress in MS Research Conference, SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, MS Res Australia, Sydney, AUSTRALIA, pp. NP26-NP27.

Keywords: tissue regeneration, stem cells, adipose, protein, proteomic characterisatio, MS

FOR Codes: Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine (incl. Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering), Biochemistry and Cell Biology not elsewhere classified, Inherited Diseases (incl. Gene Therapy), Regenerative medicine (incl. stem cells), Biochemistry and cell biology not elsewhere classified , Clinical health

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.