• After the Covid pandemic, we have resumed stem cell treatments. Appropriate sterility and great care in sanitisation is undertaken as usual. If you are unwell with a cough cold or respiratory symptoms it is best to postpone your procedure.

Gene therapy in hemiparkinsonian rhesus monkeys:

150 150 NZ Stem Cell Treatment Centre

Cytotherapy. 2010 Apr; 12(2) : 226-37.
Gene therapy in hemiparkinsonian rhesus monkeys: long-term survival and behavioral recovery by transplantation of autologous human tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing neural stem cells.

Xu Q, Jiang X, Ke Y, Zhang S, Xu R, Zeng Y.
Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China 510282.

Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS: Neural stem cells (NSC) derived from bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) (BMSC-D-NSC) are remarkably versatile in response to environmental signals, which render them useful in the search for neurodegenerative disease treatments.

METHODS: We isolated NSC from rhesus monkey bone marrow (BM), transfected them with the human tyrosine hydroxylase (hTH) gene, and transplanted them into 1-methyl-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned hemiparkinsonian rhesus monkeys to determine changes in neural transmitter production and alterations in behavior.

RESULTS: hTH-expressing cells produced monoamine agents in vitro, such as noradrenalin and dopamine. After cell transplantation in the caudate nucleus and substantia nigra of the experimental monkeys, their disease symptoms and dysfunctional glucose metabolism and dopamine transport were ameliorated.

CONCLUSIONS: hTH-expressing BMSC-D-NSC survived in transplantation sites and assumed normal dopaminergic neuronal properties, playing an instrumental role in functional restoration.

PMID: 20196695 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]