|
New Japanese collaboration with NCRM on Stem cell therapy for Cirrhosis of
Liver
Nichi-In
Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM),
an Indo-Japan joint venture institute based at Chennai and Prof. Isao
Sakaida, Professor & Head of the dept. of Hepatology & Gastroenterology,
Yamaguchi University, Ube, Japan have agreed to collaborate on
research and clinical treatment for Cirrhosis of Liver using stem cells.
Prof. Sakaida is a pioneer in treatment for Cirrhosis of Liver and has
already started treating his patients suffering from liver cirrhosis in
Japan using their own stem cells drawn from bone marrow. The initial
outcome of his clinical treatment was published in “Stem Cells” Journal in
June 2006 *.
Cirrhosis
of Liver is a chronic disease of the liver mainly caused by Alcoholism
and Viral infection (Especially hepatitis C) in which normal liver cells
and tissue are destructed and replaced by fibrotic scar tissue as well as
regenerative nodules, leading to progressive loss of liver function. There has been no definitive treatment available for such
progressive disease to repair the damaged liver cells/ tissues. In the
long run, severely affected liver will culminate in liver failure. Liver
being the major organ for metabolism in human body, any level of failure
in its function will result in symptoms and signs according to the
severity and so, liver failure is followed by failure of other organs such
as kidney and in later stages it will lead to damage of the brain called
Hepatic Encephalopathy leading to coma and death of the patient.
Prof. Sakaida’s Pioneering work on
Cirrhosis of Liver using Stem cells
Probably
this work of Prof. Sakaida in Japan could be the first in the world that
the patients own bone marrow derived stem cells have been used in treating
liver cirrhosis based on scientific evidence. Prof.
Sakaida’s team first proved in animal models the special mechanism by which the
bone marrow stem cells repair the damaged liver(Publsihed
in Hepaology, 2004**),
following which they started offering clinical treatment to human patients
in the Yamaguchi University for liver cirrhosis. In their treatment,
300~400ml of patients bone marrow is taken and stem cells are separated by
an in-house developed technology, which takes approximately 5 Hrs. Then
the stem cells are injected into the patients, through peripheral vein.
The injected stem cells reach the damaged liver and repair the damages.
They have studied the pre and post treatment Ultrasound, CT Scan and
biopsy of the patients liver, liver function tests and other parameters
which have proven that the treatment is significantly effective in
repairing the damages caused by cirrhosis. This method is considered safe
as it doesn’t use any foreign material and so no chances for rejection of
the cells as well.
Prof.Sakaida (Left) with Dr Abraham after the meeting at
Palace Hotel, Tokyo; 19 Jan07.
Stem Cell based treatment for Liver
Cirrhosis in Chennai by NCRM:
By this collaboration and exchange of technological know-how with Prof Sakaida and his team, NCRM will soon start
offering the similar stem cell based treatments for liver cirrhosis which
is affecting millions of people every year in India. The collaboration
between NCRM and his team was arrived at, in a meeting between Dr Samuel
JK Abraham (Dept of Cardiac surgery, Yamanashi University, Japan),
Director, NCRM and Prof. Isao Sakaida at Tokyo on the 19th January 2007.This collaborative effort has been made possible by the
earlier visit of a team led by Prof. Tsukahara (Vice-President) and
Prof. Fujii (Surgical gasteroenterologist) of Yamanashi University,
Japan who scrutinized the work of NCRM till date in October 2006 and
recommended their case to Prof. Sakaida. Prof. Fujii and Prof. Sakaida
will guide the NCRM team as advisors in this work.
Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM)`s
role in bridging the gap between India and Japan:
NCRM has
got technical collaborations with several Japanese institutes who have
strong research and development background and Indian hospitals that have
very good clinical skills. The major aim of NCRM is to develop clinically
usable stem cells, progenitor cells and cells with regenerative
capability, which are the backbone of Regenerative Medicine and to
standardize protocols of application of the same in clinical treatment
with such bilateral partnerships,. In this matter, NCRM`s core strength
has been several synthetic cell substrates and technology such as
Thermogelation polymer, Hydro Gels, Nano composite materials based tissue
engineering and Nano-surface coated cell culture technology, all of them
have been developed by various Japanese institutes in the past two
decades. Apart
from Liver Cirrhosis, NCRM has also been involved in the research of
Corneal limbal stem cells with Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Corneal
endothelial cell precursors with Joseph eye hospital, Trichy and Retinal
Stem Cells with Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai. NCRM team have been
instrumental in offering stem cell based treatments for ischemic leg
ulcers of diabetic patients at Vijaya hospitals (First time in TN),
Chennai and Autologous Immune
Enhancement Therapy for cancer patients using their own Natural
killer cells in diseases such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia and other forms of
solid cancers (First time in India).
For further
details please contact:
NCRM, Chennai, India:
+91-44-42321322; Prof. Sakaida, Ube, Japan: sakaida@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
Links
to related news : New Scientist 2006; 2004; Science Daily; Innovations report, BBC,
References:
* Terai et al., Stem Cells. 2006 Oct;24(10):2292-8. Improved liver
function in patients with liver cirrhosis after autologous bone marrow
cell infusion therapy.
** Sakaida et al., Hepatology 2004; 40(6): 1304-11: Transplantation of
bone marrow cells reduces CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice.
** Sakaida: Journal of
Electrophoresis, Vol. 50, pp.7-12 (2006) “Cell therapy with bone marrow cell for liver cirrhosis”.
Stem Cell see Research Officer of NCRM through to Japan
|
Search