Stem cells could be used to treat Parkinson's

Imagine if injecting lab-grown brain cells made from your own cells could alleviate Parkinson's disease symptoms. That's precisely the revolutionary idea San Diego startup Aspen Neuroscience is aiming to explore in human trials later this year. They are eager to determine whether these freshly injected cells can develop into dopamine-producing neurons, potentially halting the progression of this currently incurable disease.

Aspen Neuroscience is part of a group of trailblazing researchers planning to test treatments utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which are created by reverting a patient's own cells to a stem cell state. These iPS cells are incredibly versatile, akin to embryonic cells, and can develop into any type of cell. The hope is that they can be employed to generate a variety of healthy cells for treating diseases that currently have no cure.

In 2006, stem cell biologist Shinya Yamanaka made a groundbreaking discovery by figuring out how to revert adult mouse cells to their embryonic state. This enabled researchers to accurately and reliably transform adult cells by identifying the ideal combination of growth factors, proteins, and molecules.

One thrilling trial that began in 2019 involves the National Institutes of Health (NIH) using eye tissue grown from patients' blood samples to address macular degeneration, a primary cause of vision loss. Later this year, the Mayo Clinic plans to implant heart tissue, cultivated from patients' skin cells, in an effort to treat congenital heart disease.

A key benefit of this approach is that it starts with the patient's own blood or skin cells, converting them into stem cells through lab processes. These stem cells are then transformed into specialized cell types, like eye tissue, heart cells, or neurons. Although it's currently expensive and time-consuming, scientists believe it could lower the risk of tissue rejection by the immune system since the tissue originates from the patient themselves.

Historically, stem cell research relied on embryos or fetal tissue, but these sources are limited and come with legal constraints on U.S. government funding. Using iPS cells, researchers can bypass these ethical and legal issues while still advancing the science of stem cell research.

Of course, researchers are well aware of the risks associated with implanting tissue derived from stem cells. There's a possibility that unwanted cell types or tumor-forming cells could grow instead of the target tissue, which could lead to complications.

Even though using a patient's own cells should theoretically reduce the risk of rejection, there's still a small chance that the patient's body might reject the implanted tissue. Further research is needed to minimize this risk.

Admittedly, the cost of treatments using iPS cells is high at the moment, ranging from $100,000 to nearly $1 million per patient. However, researchers are optimistic that costs will decrease if these treatments prove successful and become more widely adopted.

With stem cell science progressing, researchers are hopeful that personalized stem cell treatments could make a real difference for patients with currently incurable diseases. As more trials are conducted and our understanding of iPS cells expands, the potential for life-changing treatments only grows.

The use of lab-cultured brain cells to reverse Parkinson's disease symptoms is just one example of how iPS cells hold great promise for the future of medicine. As researchers continue to explore the potential of personalized stem cell therapies, we may see groundbreaking treatments for a variety of currently incurable diseases. The road ahead is full of challenges, but the possibilities are truly exciting.