AsianScientist (Jun. 12, 2011) – According to a new study from RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., thymosin beta 4 (TB4) can be used to transform resident adult heart stem cells into new heart muscle.
The results were published online on June 8 in the journal Nature and the result of an international collaboration between British, U.S., and Chinese researchers.
Study animals treated with TB4 prior to injury had increased activation of a unique subpopulation of resident adult epicardial stem cells that proliferated, migrated, and differentiated into functional heart muscle (cardiomyocytes), suggesting that these cells needed to be “primed” prior to injury to effect activation.
“Stem cell transplantation is not required, so this would avoid problems with which cells to use, immune rejection, cell survival, mode of delivery, reaching the site of injury, etc. In our study we stimulate resident (epicardial) progenitor cells, which are already in the right environment and poised to respond to the injury signals once activated by Thymosin B4,” said senior author Dr. Paul Riley, Professor of Molecular Cardiology at the UCL-Institute of Child Health in London.
Such findings point to the potential of using the patient’s resident adult stem-cell population (rather than embryonic stem cells) after acute heart attack, congestive heart failure, cardiac ischemia, and reperfusion injury.
RegeneRx is focused on the development of TB4 for tissue and organ protection, repair and regeneration. The company currently has three drug candidates in clinical development, such as RGN-352, an injectable formulation in Phase II trials for cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases.
RegeneRx received in 2010 a US$3 million, three-year development grant from the NIH to support the company’s acute myocardial infarction program.
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Source: RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
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