following “Berlin patient” And the “London Patient”, for the third time in the world, a patient with cancer and HIV/AIDS succeeds in curing both diseases using Stem Cellsaccording to what doctors at the University Hospital Dusseldorf reported in the journal “Nature Medicine”.
Three years following being diagnosed with AIDS, in 2011 the “Düsseldorf patient” was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a form of blood cancer. And in 2013 the patient underwent a transplant stem cells. “From the beginning, the goal of the transplant was to control both leukemia and HIV,” explained Guido Kobe of the University Hospital in Dusseldorf, who performed the operation, according to the German “n-tv” website.
And like a Berlin patient And the patient of London The stem cell treatment of the Düsseldorf patient contained a specific genetic mutation called CCR5-Delta32, which serves to ensure that immune cells do not have an HIV docking site. Without an anchoring site, the virus cannot find an entry point into cells and thus cannot infect them, making people with that mutation virtually resistant to the pathogen.
The transplant resulted in remission of virus symptoms HIV,Therefore, in 2018, the treatment team decided to discontinue antiretroviral therapy. Follow-up of the patient for several years showed continued success. Today, scientists in Dusseldorf are talking regarding a full recovery for the now 53-year-old man, says “n-tv”.
The research team hopes that in the future it will be possible to treat people without cancer with a transplant Stem Cells genetically modified. The mutation is introduced, for example, using gene scissors such as “CRISPR” or “CRI”, combined with strategies that reduce the stock of HIV in the body.
According to experts, including Jürgen Rockstroh of the University Hospital Bonn, there is still a long way to go until this goal is achieved. “There seems to be a problem here, which is that if the appropriate gene therapy is used, all cells should subsequently show the CCR5 genetic mutation, but this is not necessarily achievable for all cells, so there is always a reservoir of unaltered cells,” says Rockstroh. Through gene therapy,” according to what was reported by the German newspaper Bild.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
Stem cells are the origin of regenerative medicine
Stem cells have an important role in the development of regenerative medicine, as they are the origin of all cells in the body, and by dividing, sub-cells with specific functions arise from stem cells, to be transformed once more into stem cells. What is distinctive is that this process continues throughout a person’s life, thus renewing the body’s organs.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
sharp criticism
In 1998, American researchers succeeded in obtaining human embryonic stem cells by killing embryos, which was widely criticized. The timing of the start of the life of the embryo, which is formed following the union of the egg with the sperm, cannot be determined, and in 1991 the embryo protection law was applied in Germany, which prevents obtaining stem cells from embryos, in addition to that the import of these embryonic cells to Germany can only take place according to conditions strict.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
Ethically acceptable stem cells
Unlike cells derived from embryos, obtaining what are known as induced pluripotent stem cells is ethically acceptable. They are cells obtained from adult somatic cells, and can be converted into stem cells by four cells grown in the laboratory. They are used to treat cells or as a basis for drug testing. It is often used in research on the development of Parkinson’s disease, for example.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
Regeneration of body organs
Not all parts of the body can regenerate, such as the eyes, the brain and the heart. With age, the ability of organs to regenerate becomes limited, as cells die and the ability of organs to perform their functions decreases. One of the goals of regenerative medicine is to reactivate the body’s self-healing powers.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
alternative tissues
Via tissue engineering it is possible to develop tissues resembling the original. These tissues can be used to treat burns and to produce blood vessels and organs. This method enhances the self-healing process and is an important advance in the world of medicine that opens the door to many possibilities. Through tissue engineering, researchers seek to replace entire organs, such as the liver or kidneys.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
cell therapy
The goal of cell therapy is to stimulate regeneration processes, as well as to replace damaged or damaged cells. Cellular therapy is frequently used in cases of blood stem cell transplantation, by replacing diseased bone marrow with healthy cells, such as in the treatment of advanced cases of leukemia. Chemotherapy and radiation negatively affect the process of producing blood cells and the patient’s immune system.
Regenerative Medicine: When the body treats its own diseases
Gene therapy
Gene therapy remains highly controversial in the research world. In it, new genetic material is injected into stem cells, thus replacing the affected genetic material with healthy genes. This method is mainly used to treat genetic diseases and some cancers. The problem with this treatment is the use of some genetically modified viruses to transfer these genes, and here it is possible for viruses to regain their activity and thus infect patients with other diseases.
