Scientists overcome obstacles to stem cell heart repair
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Human embryonic stem-cell derived cardiomyocytes maturing at 150 days.
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Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
Research Council (BBSRC) at Imperial College London have overcome two
significant obstacles on the road to harnessing stem cells to build
patches for damaged hearts. Presenting the research at a UK Stem Cell
Initiative conference today (13 December) in Coventry, research
leader Professor Sian Harding will explain how her group have made
significant progress in maturing beating heart cells (cardiomyocytes)
derived from embryonic stem cells and in developing the physical
scaffolding that would be needed to hold the patch in place in the
heart in any future clinical application.
From the outset the Imperial College researchers have been aiming to
solve two problems in the development of a stem cell heart patch. The
first is undesirable side effects, such as arrhythmia, that can
result from immature and undeveloped cardiomyocytes being introduced
to the heart. The second is the need for a scaffold that is
biocompatible with the heart and able to hold the new cardiomyocytes
in place while they integrate into the existing heart tissue.
Matching the material to human heart muscle is also hoped to prevent
deterioration of heart function before the cells take over.
Professor Harding will tell the conference that the stem cell team,
led by Dr Nadire Ali, co-investigator on the grant, have managed to
follow beating embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for up to
seven months in the laboratory and demonstrate that these cells do
mature. In this period the cells have coordinated beating activity,
and they adopt the mature controls found in the adult heart by
approximately four months after their generation from embryonic stem
cells. These developed cardiomyocytes will then be more compatible
with adult heart and less likely to cause arrhythmias.
The team have also overcome hurdles in the development of a
biocompatible scaffold. Working closely with a group of biomaterial
engineers, led by Dr Aldo Boccaccini and Dr Qizhi Chen, co-
investigators on the grant, in the Department of Materials, Imperial
College London, they have developed a new biomaterial with high level
of biocompatibility with human tissue, tailored elasticity and
programmable degradation. The latter quality is important as any
application in the heart needs to be able to hold cells in place long
enough for them to integrate with the organ but then degrade safely
away. The researchers have found that their material, which shares
the elastic characteristics of heart tissue, can be programmed to
degrade in anything from two weeks upwards depending on the
temperatures used during synthesis.
Professor Harding said: "Although we are still some way from having a
treatment in the clinic we have made excellent progress on solving
some of the basic problems with stem cell heart therapies. The work
we have done represents a step forward in both understanding how stem
cell-derived developing heart cells can be matured in the laboratory
and how materials could be synthesised to form a patch to deliver
them to damaged areas of the heart.
"A significant amount of hard work and research remains to be done
before we will see this being used in patients but the heart is an
area where stem cell therapies offer promise. We know that the stem
cell-derived cardiomyocytes will grow on these materials, and the
next step is to see how the material and cell combination behave in
the long term."
Professor Nigel Brown, BBSRC Director of Science and Technology,
commented: "This research shows that although embryonic stem cell
therapies are still some way away from the clinic, progress is being
made on the basic biological developments. As with all new biomedical
applications, an understanding of the underpinning fundamental
science is essential to successfully moving forward."
###
An image of human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes and
video footage of beating heart stem cells in culture are available to
download from:
http://www.bbsrc.
Contact
Professor Sian Harding, Imperial College London, email:
sian.harding@
Dr Nadire Ali, Imperial College London, email: n.n.ali@imperial.
Dr Aldo Boccaccini, Imperial College London, email:
a.boccaccini@
BBSRC Media Office
Matt Goode, Tel: 01793 413299, Mobile: 07766 423 372, email:
matt.goode@bbsrc.
Tracey Jewitt, Tel: 01793 414694, email: tracey.jewitt@
Imperial College London press office
Laura Gallgher, Tel: 020 7594 6702, Mobile: 07803 886 248, Email:
l.gallagher@
Notes to Editors
The research described is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The research is being presented at the Cross Council Stem Cell
Programme Grantholders' Workshop, a conference organised on behalf of
participating Research Councils by BBSRC for researchers funded by
the UK Stem Cell Initiative.
About BBSRC
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is
the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by
Government, BBSRC annually invests around £380 million in a wide
range of research that makes a significant contribution to the
quality of life for UK citizens and supports a number of important
industrial stakeholders including the agriculture, food, chemical,
healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. http://www.bbsrc.
About Imperial College London
Rated as the world's fifth best university in the 2007 Times Higher
Education Supplement University Rankings, Imperial College London is
a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in
teaching and research that attracts over 12,000 students and 6,000
staff of the highest international quality.
Innovative research at the College explores the interface between
science, medicine, engineering and management and delivers practical
solutions that improve quality of life and the environment -
underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.
With 66 Fellows of the Royal Society among our current academic staff
and distinguished past members of the College including 14 Nobel
Laureates and two Fields Medallists, Imperial's contribution to
society has been immense. Inventions and innovations include the
discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the
foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of
our research for the benefit of all continues today with current
focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to tackle climate
change and mathematical modelling to predict and control the spread
of infectious diseases.
The College's 100 years of living science will be celebrated
throughout 2007 with a range of events to mark the Centenary of the
signing of Imperial's founding charter on 8 July 1907.
Website: www.imperial.
Public release date: 12-Dec-2007
Contact: Matt Goode
matt.goode@bbsrc.
44-179-341-3299
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
http://www.eurekale
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