24 replies to this topic

[Bruce Klein]

A patient unable to walk for the past 19 years due to a spinal injury takes steps after receiving stem cell therapy at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, Korea.

http://times.hankook...17575710440.htm

Discussion:

http://carecure.atin...07393#868107393

[Bruce Klein]

If this information is true, it may prove good for my friend David Kekich who is unable to walk. Dave was kind to donate to the ImmInst Film Project... he is working hard to raise funds for major life extension research(MaxLife.org).

[Bruce Klein]

Video:

http://www.kscia.org...3&num=33&page=1

The video shows the opperation and the woman walking.

[Bruce Klein]

Stem cells help woman walk again
From correspondents in Seoul

A SOUTH Korean woman paralysed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine using stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood.

Hwang Mi-Soon, 37, had been bedridden since damaging her back in an accident two decades ago.

more: http://www.heraldsun...55E1702,00.html

[reason]

The thing that immediately struck me about this, as I noted at the Longevity Meme, is that Christopher Reeve just missed it. How much sooner could this have come about without all the anti-research oppposition?

http://www.longevity...fm?news_id=1340

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[ironmind]

I also hope this is true so everyone can benefit from it!

[kevin]

I'm certainly no expert but from what I understand

1) There is an attempt to regenerate after spinal cord damage which is thwarted by cells which prevent elongation and myelin sheath development.

2) Differentiation into nerve cell types is not necessary in order to provide some return of function. Experiments with olfactory bulb nerve stem cells which are injected into the injury site itself have shown to increase sensation. The cells themselves don't seem to turn into nerve cells but appear to sidle up to damaged nerves and support them by producing the myelin necessary to complete the communication pathway of the CNS.

There are more than few links which I might be able to put back in here to support this but here is an interesting one I found with some posts from people who have undergone some procedures.

http://www.rideforli...ves/000687.html

[Cyto]

They could help to answer questions...
Course they probably won't tell us anything, if its true that is.

---

We now know that there are two main obstacles to regeneration after injury: inhibitors within myelin and the formation of a glial scar. The scar is formed by astrocytes, which change their morphology to present a physical barrier to growth and also upregulate several extracellular-matrix-associated inhibitors of regeneration. Before the scar matures, however, myelin seems to be the predominant source of growth inhibition.
.....
Three inhibitors of axonal regeneration have been identified in myelin – Nogo, myelin-associated glycoprotein (Mag) and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (Omgp). All of these proteins induce growth cone collapse and inhibit neurite outgrowth.
.....
Two approaches might be used to overcome inhibitors and encourage regeneration. First, the inhibitors and/or their receptors could be blocked with antibodies or peptides. Second, the intrinsic state of the neuron could be changed, such that it no longer recognizes the environment as inhibitory. Elevation of cyclic AMP inside the injured neuron has been shown to overcome inhibition by Mag and myelin.

Link (need subscript)

[ocsrazor]

I would have to agree about being skeptical. This identical method has been tried many times before with little success. I will be curious to see the reports 6 months after surgery and to see a CAT scan of what the injury looks like after it has healed. There is a wide spread and very annoying tendency of many researchers in Japan and Korea to greatly exaggerate their successes (anybody else notice this? Is this cultural?). I hope this isnt the case here, but I have to say this doesn't look very convincing. Stem cell research is the correct direction for the fastest possible cure of spinal cord injury, but we are probably going to have to understand much more about proper conditioning of both the stem cells and the environment in the injury for this to be a success.

Peter

[manofsan]

Well, the S Koreans and Japanese also have the tendency to pour on massive resources onto specific research projects, as compared to Western govts. Don't forget the Korean announcement about cloning stem cells. I have to admit, more people would benefit from this kind of research than from a Mission to Mars.

Even if at first they don't succeed, try, try again. If this one is just hype, that doesn't mean it won't work the next time. Cold Fusion may not have worked originally either, but the whole flap actually got more people into looking at it, and now they're finding things.

Hopefully at least the international attention that this story is generating will get more people in gear to make it work, and more robustly. I can hear the floodgates starting to creak open.

[Mind]

I would have to agree about being skeptical. This identical method has been tried many times before with little success.

I am skeptical also, but there is always luck. Maybe injecting stem into the spinal cord is akin to "shaving with a broad axe"....it only works once in a blue moon. Given the right circumstances and the right person maybe the stem cells worked for once. Of course, if it was pure luck and not repeatable, then we aren't getting much closer to a winning therapy. However, the media attention has got to be worth a lot in the long term.

[ocsrazor]

Yep manofsan and mind, I have no problem with the publicity. What I do have a problem with though is the creation of false hope in people that a cure is right around the corner. I do like to see SouthEast Asia's pluck in taking on the Western world in science, puts a little very much needed pressure on our smug and overly restrictive governments, but I dont like to see overhype because my reaction is now highly skeptical to any announcement of 'breakthrough' research in certain countries and I suspect this becoming the case for the field of neuroscience in general.

[ddhewitt]

Perhaps this is analagous in mechanism to recently published studies about stem cells rejuvenating a diseased rodent heart and this report from Geron about stem cells populating the spinal cord and producing myelin appropriately which would be a great boon to those with Multiple Sclerosis.

The stem cells may not need to totally replace the target tissue in order to have a catalytic role in rejuvenating it.

[Bruce Klein]

From Reason's Longevity Meme:

Asia As Stem Cell Central (December 30 2004)
http://www.businessw...02/b3915052.htm

BusinessWeek takes a high-level look at funding and progress in stem cell
research in Asia: "The progress the Asians have made is 'astonishing,' says
Robert A. Goldstein, chief scientific officer at New York-based Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation International, which has teamed up with
Singapore in funding ES Cell's efforts to find a cure for the disease." The
authors views this as a competition - as do most of the participants and
principles, no doubt

- but a rising tide in medical science raises all boats. Successes in any
country (and even business or competitive failures) in stem cell research
still advance knowledge, capabilities and the potential for healthy
longevity worldwide.

[Bruce Klein]

First brain cells grown in lab

SCIENTISTS have successfully grown human brain cells in the laboratory for the first time and used them to repair the damaged brains of head-injury victims.

The breakthrough brings new hope in the search for therapies not only for accident victims but also for those suffering the effects of strokes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and a range of other degenerative conditions
http://www.timesonli...1442445,00.html

[John Schloendorn]

Curses, if only their web pages weren't all in Chinese [ang] Pubmed knows very little of these researchers, which is hopefully a huge mistake on the part of the ncbi. If these results could stand the test of a few years time, this would be just cracking fantastic! Regeneration of the neurons is (hopefully was) in my opinion one of the few major unsolved hurdles for living very long.

[John Schloendorn]

Perhaps Bush's restrictive policy has gained us more than we think. If the US had taken a strong lead from the beginning, the Asians might never have found the courage to try and take the field. Due to the head start the Asians have got, and the investments they've made, they are compelled to keep fighting for the lead. Our bioconservative friends may have unwittingly kickstarted a competitive atmosphere here, which may pay off in terms of our goals in the long run.

[Matt]

WoW. amazing news on the brain cells!!!

Hopefuly it will be a good year for biotech and nanotech :D

[godsend]

Is this true. Some one I know said they thought it was "hyped" and that the patient's regained abilities were not entirely attributable to the stem cell treatments she received.

[Chip]

I read the recent news story about the stem cell lines available for federally funded research in the US having at least one that was contaminated and no good for human research. Somewhere recently I saw a statement that all of these federally assisted stem cell lines are contaminated. Any one know if this is true? Seems to me, this would be a good thing as it would force the US to change its policy and hopefully to something more reasonable. I have a step-brother who was rendered parapalegic when in his teens and a long time friend who suffered the same via a motorcycle accident just like my bro. Would love to see this stuff come to fruition. In the mean time, I don't ride or drive motorcycles any more. Lost a life-long close friend to a motorcyle accident a couple of months ago.

[Bruce Klein]

Sonia Arrision (ImmInst Full Member) has written the following column pertaining to this topic:

"Late last year, South Korean scientists used stems cells to treat a woman who had been paralyzed for 20 years as a result of a back injury. To the amazement of many, she is now able to move about using a walker. Christopher Reeve would have delighted..."
http://www.technewsw...tory/40103.html

[Bruce Klein]

I would like to know how much more progress has been made since the stem cell transplantation was performed on Oct. 12, 2004... but difficult, it seems, as was in Korean. Latest news found is from Dec 2004:

Scientists Apply for More Stem Cell Therapy
http://times.hankook...17511911800.htm
By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter - 12-24-2004 17:53

A team of South Korean scientists aim to duplicate the ``miracle’’ of enabling patients with spinal cord damage to walk again through stem cell therapy.

Chosun University professor Song Chang-hun said Friday his team asked the government to permit stem cell trials on four paralyzed patients.

``We applied for the go-ahead of the government today (Friday) on our second-round of clinical tests using stem cells from umbilical cord blood,’’ the 49-year-old said.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) will decide if the agency will give the approval for the breakthrough therapy, which has drawn attention from around the world.

``We will conduct operations on two paralyzed patients as soon as the KFDA gives us the green light while the remaining two will also undergo stem cell therapy soon,’’ Song said.

During a press conference late last month, Song surprised the world by announcing his team successfully treated a female patient with a spinal cord injury via stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

Hwang Mi-soon, whose lower limbs had been paralyzed for the last 19 years due to a back injury, stood up from her wheelchair and took a few steps with the help of a walker.

Song’s six-member team transplanted multi-potent stem cells into Hwang’s spine on Oct. 12 this year and in just three weeks, she was able to walk, aided by a walker.

Some billed the cure as the start of a new-concept treatment for spinal cord injuries, but many are skeptical as the operation has not yet been replicated.

In response, Song has readily conceded the success should be repeated and validated by a report in an international journal. To do this, his team has prepared follow-up clinical tests.

Originally, Song planned to stage clinical trials this month, but the scheme was delayed as Chosun University’s ethics board approved the operation on Dec. 13 later than expected.

``The ethics board seems to consider enhanced attention on our therapy. I am wary of the possibility the government approval will also be delayed,’’ Song said.

For now, all is set for the second-round of tests, excluding the nod from the government as Song’s team already secured matched umbilical cord blood stem cells for the patients and cultured them.

Song predicts the world will know next year whether Hwang’s case is just a one-time miracle or represents genuine medical innovation to treat spinal cord disorders.

[spiritus]

Perhaps Bush's restrictive policy has gained us more than we think. If the US had taken a strong lead from the beginning, the Asians might never have found the courage to try and take the field. Due to the head start the Asians have got, and the investments they've made, they are compelled to keep fighting for the lead. Our bioconservative friends may have unwittingly kickstarted a competitive atmosphere here, which may pay off in terms of our goals in the long run.

i just have to comment on this intelligent view, nice incite and it's true. wait until after Bush, unless the US get an extreamly conservitive president we should see a huge ammount of progress. Bush is as you know extreamly relegious. Perhaps if an athiest or agnostic got in for once, this would skyrocket.