Stem Cell Therapy & ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a major neurodegenerative disease. There is a lack
of any effective treatment for this condition thus making it an ideal
candidate for stem cell therapy. Any improvement in delaying further
degeneration or restoring neurological function would be a major step
forward. There is considerable complexity and precision of connectivity
that is required to restore degenerating motor neurons.
In the
presence of epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor,
neural precursor cells have been shown to differentiate into neuronal
precursor cells. These cells can be expanded in numbers and
differentiation of selective populations of neuronal cells can be made.
Instead
of attempting to stimulate endogenous stem cells in the brain that are
located in small numbers in niches and reservoirs, the use of stem
cells derived from the umbilical cord blood is a new development.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells in culture with specific growth factors
are able to differentiate into specific cell lines including neuronal
precursors.
ALS patients can now receive treatment
with
neuronal stem cells infusions intravenously and in the lumbar spine
region. Patients will be placed on a post stem cell therapy protocol.
They will be followed at regular intervals to determine if subsequent
infusions are necessary depending on their improvement.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Autism
Autism
was first described by Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943 as a collection of
symptoms with poor social engagement, limited verbal and nonverbal
communications and repetitive behaviors. We are now aware of a variety
variations in this disorder. Children with Asperger’s share a lot of
these behaviors of those with more severe autism.
Patients
with autism share common inflammatory abnormalities. With brain imaging
one notes that the white matter which carries impulses between neurons
is larger in children with autism. Neurogial inflammation in noted in
all children with autism. Neurogia are a group of brain cells that are
important in the brain’s immune response. The inflammatory reaction
appears both in the early and late stages of the disease. The approach
for treatment is to reduce the brain’s immunological response. At NIH
they are testing patients with minocycline, an anti-inflammatory
antibiotic drug on autistic children.
Autism involves behavior, cognition,
sensorimotor, gastrointestinal, immune system and endocrine
abnormalities.
Current recommendations are the use of glutathinone which s a strong
anti-oxidant in removing toxins and is linked to the methylation
pathway of the cell; a biochemical process that
regulates which
genes are expressed thus abnormal methylation can cause disease. The
pathway provides precursors to glutathinone and thus impairment leads
to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress in some autistic children can be
targeted by giving the following supplements that are key nutrients in
the methylation pathway.
These include:
Folinic acid
Trimethylglycine
Methyl- B12
Glutathinone
To
support mitochondrial function that produce the energy in brain cells
and are the place where free radicals are produced that play a role in
oxidative stress and produce ATP. When free radicals are high in the
body glutathione is depleted. To best stabilize mitochondrial function
the addition of the following nutrients will help:
CoQ10 enzyme 50-100 mg.
Magnesium
Acetyl-L-carnitine 500 mg.
Glutathione
For further brain metabolism support:
Phosphotidylserine
L-Carnosine
Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg.
DMAE 250 mg.
Selenium 200 mg
Fish Oil with GLA
L-Theanine( found in green tea extract)
Diet: Gluten free(present in wheat and
grains)
and dairy products.
Chelation of any heavy metals that may be
present.
Through
the years many different causes of autism have been considered. These
include genetic disturbances, heavy metal toxins, allergies, brain
damage from pertussis and measles vaccines, brain damage from mercury
preservative in the vaccines.
Currently the focus of attention
is on an inflammatory process that damages the brain. The explosion of
diagnosed cases in the past thirty years in children that appeared
normal in the early months of life in terms of their development and
then started having signs of autism suggests some exogenous source. The
neuorinflammatory concept is now the most seriously considered.
Patients with autism are candidates for stem cell therapy. The stem cells which are pluripotent are extracted own patients bone marrow placed into culture with specific growth factors and nutrients that can be programmed to produce brain stem cells as well as anti-inflammatory immune cells. The patients are infused with brain stem cells (astrocytes) and oligodendrocytes(producing myelin) plus dendritic immunological cells with nerve growth factor. The stem cells are given intravenously over a one hour period. The stem cells will home (migrate) only to the brain where they engraft at areas of damage, survive and proliferate only up to the point of repair and replacement. Post stem cell therapy will focus on continued healthy brain metabolism of the cells.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Chronic
Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease
Patients
with chronic obstructive lung disease have marked shortness of breath,
limitations in life style because of easy fatigue, inability to walk
except for short distances, problems sleeping at night even in a
semi-sitting position, susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia, often
requiring oxygen twenty four hours a day. Patients are monitored by
spirometry, pulmonary function tests and pulse ox tests.
Treatment
consists of inhalers such as albuterol(or Xopenex), Pulmocort for short
term use for severe shortness of breath and Spireva and Advair for long
term control.
Additional treatment are the use of
special
inhalers that deliver medications move deeply into the lung tissues;
breathing exercises, chest tapping to loosen mucus plugs in the bronchi
and bronchioles and postural drainage.
In recent times treatments with stem cells have been used in attempts to greatly improve lung function. Originally autologous adult stem cells have been used with great success. These cells are then grown in culture with special nutrients and growth factors to program them to become pulmonary stem cells. This culture method usually requires about three weeks in time. Patients are given progenitor cells, pulmonary stem cells and human stem cell growth factors intravenously over a one hour plus period.
Post stem therapy
program medications are then given to the patient to be taken for six
months. Patients who travel a distance whether by plane or automobile
to receive this treatment should have received a pneumovax and flu
vaccine within the last three years. In severe cases of emphysema and
COPD the use of short term inhalers and prophylactic antibiotics may be
advisable to prevent secondary infections because of fatigue of
traveling; exposure to secondary infections; and decreased immune
system.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s
disease is a inflammatory bowel disease caused by autoimmunity. As a
result auto-antibodies attack the lining of the intestinal tract
resulting in diarrhea, abdominal cramps, mucus and blood in the stool,
loss of appetite and at times weight loss. Episodes of acute
symptoms(remissions) and length of time of relapses vary in degree.
Treatment
has included the use of specific restricted diets. cyclophosphamide,
methotrexate and infliximab to induce control and remissions. These,
however, are limited to attempts to control the disease rather than
cure.
The induction of self tolerance by using
progenitor
intestinal stem cells plus dendritic immunological stem cells represent
a therapy at elimination of the autoimmune condition plus repairing and
replacing damaged intestinal linings. The stem cells are obtained from patients own bone marrow which are then grown in culture with growth factors and nutrients to form the specific cell lines needed for this therapy. The cells are given intravenously followed by a specific post stem cell therapy plan that is continued for six months.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Lupus
Systemic
lupus is a major disorder that may cause damage to the skin, bone
marrow, kidneys, heart, joints, immune system and brain.
There
are many treatments that are available to treat lupus but eventually
the condition may progress to cause major health disability. In
patients that are getting progressively worse despite treatment,
patients should consider the use of stem cells.
Disabling autoimmune disorders can be treated with the use of autologous (self) stem cells derived from the patients bone marrow.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Rheumatoid
Arthritis
Patients
with rheumatoid arthritis that is severe and unresponsive to standard
therapy should consider the use of stem cells. This would include those
patients that have chronic pain in multiple joints; marked swelling of
joints; disabling arthritis of the spine; patients that have
restrictions in using their hands or walking.
Treatments that can be considered are:
1.Using autologous (self) stem cells derived from peripheral blood or
bone marrow of the patient. These cells can be further treated in
culture to form a specific cell line of chondrocytes(precursors of
cartilage) and infused intravenously or into effected joints.
2.
Stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood are pluripotent and can
form cell lines that are more effective. Patients can be given
precursor cartilage cells called chrondrocytes that are can be given
intravenously or into effected joints. In addition patients can be
given immunological dendritic stem cells that will interfere with
autoimmune antibodies that damage joints in rheumatoid arthritis. The
basic biology for this therapy is putting umbilical cord into culture
with specific growth factors and nutrients that program the cells to
form chrondrocytes and dendritic cells that become the basis for the
treatment.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Spinal Cord
Injuries
Patients
with spinal cord injuries(quadriplegics) are faced with severe motor
loss of their upper and lower extremities, sensory loss; incontinence
of urine and stool and increased risk of decreased respiratory motions;
paraplegics with loss of motion and sensory loss of their lower
extremities plus incontinence of urine and stool.
There have
been many efforts to recover neuronal function after spinal cord
injuries. Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of pluripotent cells
that in culture can be programmed into many tissue organ cell lines
including neural. The cells can differentiate into neurons,
oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. The oligodendrocytes derived from
human cord blood secrete neurotrophic hormones such as neurotrophin-3
and brain derived neurotrophic factor. The cord stem cells aid in the
synthesis of myelin basic protein and the proteolipid found in myelin
in injured areas.
Neural stem cells brain derived from patients own bone marrow and brain derived neurotrophic factor can be given intravenously or into the spinal cord area and may induce improvement in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Improvement in neurological function is related probably to axonal regeneration. Neural stem cells transplanted have been shown to cause extensive growth of corticospinal axons and locomotor recovery.
Autologous bone marrow derived stem cells migrate to and participate in motor function improvement and healing of spinal cord injuries. Autologous bone marrow stem cells can survive, differentiate and improve functional recovery after spinal cord injury. Telomerase driven human progenitor cells are a new source of treatment for injured spinal cords.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Eye Diseases
Abnormal
vessel growth in the eyes is a major cause of blindness. Injection of
stem cells can alter vessel growth. Stem cells can inhibit retinal
angiogenesis. Choroidal neovascularixation is a known cause of age
related macular degeneration.
Stem cells have the potential
to survive, integrate and differentiate to retina cells. Neural
precursor stem cells can give rise to retina progenitors and
photoreceptor development, glial cells and differentiate into optic
nerve cells. Neural precursor cells can integrate into the patient’s
retina.
Autologous bone marrow cells can restore photoreceptors and visual function. Autologous bone marrow cells can significantly reduce the degree of retina deterioration. Autologous bone marrow stem cells are cultured with brain derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor to induce neuronal differentiation. Retina progenitor cells are immature precursors that differentiate into retina neurons including photoreceptors.
Stem
cells can differentiate into retinal cells and the subretinal
microenvironment supports their differentiation towards a photoreceptor
fate. Stem cell transplantation is an approach for the replacement of
degenerating retinal cells. Scientific studies such as
electroretinogram responses, spatial acuity and luminance threshold can
be measured. Umbilical cord derived stem cells have shown to give large
areas of photoreceptor rescue.
Autologous bone marrow derived stem cells may provide the best utility in treating retinal degenerative disease such macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
Retinal progenitors stem cells are
pluripotent
that can differentiate into retinal neurons.
Patients
that are candidates for this therapy include those with macular
degeneration, retina degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. We request
that you send us a summary of your medical condition from your
ophthalmologist including photos and ultrasound of your retina.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Diabetes
Stem cells derived from autologous bone marrow can be programmed to form pancreatic islet stem cells that secrete insulin. This is a powerful new approach in treating diabetic patients types I and II. The ability to control growth and differentiation of islet stem cells provides an abundant source for beta cell re-constitution in diabetes.
The
need to provide an essentially limitless supply of a substitute for
primary human islets of Langerhans has led to the research and
application of stem/progenitor cells to generate insulin producing
cells for use in replacement therapies for diabetes.
Patients
wishing to have this procedure should send us a copy of their medical
records which would include laboratory results of their glucose,
cholesterol, fasting insulin, cholesterol, trigylcerides and HgA1C. We
also need information about any other underlying condition including
blood pressure, any heart disease problems, peripheral vascular
problems, vision difficulties involving the retina or macula.. The list
of all medications related to their diabetes and other medical
disorders should also be sent.
Diabetic patients Type I on
diet, exercise and oral hypoglycemic medications; diabetics Type II on
insulin; diabetics on insulin pumps are all candidates for receiving
stem cell therapy. Children or adults of any age are eligible.
Treatment
consists of receiving pancreatic islet stem cells intravenously over a
sixty to ninety period. Other agents that are incorporated to insure
stem cell engraftment, survival and proliferation to the point of
replacement and repair consist of human stem cell growth factor. A post
stem cell protocol will be given to patients upon completion of
treatment. Monitoring of blood glucose, HgAIC and glucose tolerance
will be done following therapy.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Cardiac Disease
Patients who
have severe cardiac disease with a history of coronary infarction,
congestive heart failure, those with previous bypass surgery and
stents, cardiomyopathy, and individuals with a low “ejection
fractions”(the rate at which the heart pumps) are candidates for this
procedure.
Patients that survive myocardial
infarction have
diminished cardiac reserve putting them at risk for subsequent heart
failure. Doctors and scientists throughout the world now understand
that myocardial repair and regeneration are possible and attainable.
Patients
interested in receiving this therapy should mail to us their medical
records including copies of their EKG, echocardiogram and/or stress
echocardiogram, nuclear scan if available, cardiac enzymes,
cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL and list of all medications taken.
Treatment
is non-invasive consisting of an intravenous infusion of precursor
cardiomyocyte stem cells derived from autologous bone marrow mixed with
CD34+ cells and a bispecific antibody that assists in the migration of
the stem cells to the heart. This approach increases the engraftment,
survival and proliferation of the stem cells to the heart muscle.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple
sclerosis is a progressive disease of the central nervous system that
leads to a progressive deterioration of the nervous system. There is a
demyelination in the white matter of the central nervous system with
varying grade of axon loss. Current treatment is limited to
anti-inflammatory symptomatic therapy. Although there are remissions
with varying degrees of time eventually the disease progresses. In
spite of the body’s efforts to restore remyelination, it is not
sufficient to prevent the development of serious neurological
disabilities.
Now a new treatment is available that
consists
of oligodendrocytes, neurons, progenitor stem cells and dendritic stem
cells to attack the autoimmune antibodies destroying the formation of
myelin. The stem cells are obtained from autologous bone marrow placed
into culture with appropriate nutrients and growth factors to form the
specific cell lines needed for this treatment.
The specific
stem cells are given intravenously and subcutaneously along the spine.
This procedure is well tolerated and comfortable to receive.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Parkinsonism
Parkinsonism
is a common neurodegenerative disease with a lifetime incidence of 2.5%
and a prevalence of 2% in individuals over seventy years of age. The
main symptoms are rigidity, weakness of movement (bradykinesia), tremor
and postural instability. Patients are often treated with drugs that
target the dopaminergic striatum nigra pathway. These drugs have
limited value as patients develop marked motor fluctuations and
dyskinesiias. The need for effective alternative methods are necessary.
Rarely
has anything so excited the general public and medical scientists as
the enormous potential of stem cell therapy in treating human disease.
The ability to mobilize progenitor endogenous progenitor cells in
organs or to introduce and differentiate exogenous stem cells for
tissue repair has dramatic impact on many diseases including the brain.
In
the past it was felt that the brain cells you were born with are the
ones which you have when you die. In the past five years it has become
increasingly clear about the repair and regenerative processes that
exist in the brain. The brain has reservoirs of progenitor stem cells
in niches but they may not be available in sufficient numbers to repair
a specific area.
New treatments are now available using
stem
cell replacement for neurodegenerative diseases. Considerable
advancements have occurred in generating cultures with high numbers of
dopaminergic neurons suitable for therapy. Nerve growth factor
regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neuron stem cells.
Treatment using patients own bone marrow stem cells is now available. The stem cells are placed in culture with specific growth factors and nutrients that become neuron stem cells that secrete dopamine. The cells are given intravenously to the patients.
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Stem Cell Therapy & Stroke
The
sudden onset of stroke is devastating and leads to temporary and/or
permanent disability to speech, sensation, memory and motor neuron
damage. The damage is caused by a bleeding or blocked cerebral blood
vessel leading to local brain damaged areas with loss of neurons and
glial cells.
No effective therapy exists and therefore
any
treatment that may offer improvement would be greatly welcomed. With
the discovery of stem cells has come new hope.
Although there are niches and reservoirs of stem cells in the adult brain their numbers are not sufficient to restore neurological function. Bone marrow has stem cells that are pluripotent in their ability to be transformed into many precursor cells of various organs in the body including the brain.
Autologous bone marrow stem cells when placed into culture with nerve growth factor, brain neurotrophic factor and nutrients can form precursor progenitor brain stem cells.
Patients
with post stroke syndrome (even for many years) can be given
intravenous brain stem cells, oligodendrocytes to replace myelin and
neuron stem cells. These cells will home (migrate) to areas of damaged
brain tissue with hopes of functional recovery.
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