Steminent Research

 

Stem cells obtained from Steminent’s technology platform have been studied in various disease models including Degenerative Diseases, Acute Syndromes and Metabolic Disorders.

 

Degenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative disease – Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCAs)

Steminent has been developing the great potentials of the stem cells obtained from its proprietary technology platform to treat SCAs. Preclinical research demonstrated the transplantation of the stem cells delayed the onset of motor function deterioration and also improved the motor function of SCA animals. Potential and critical mechanism of actions and advantages of the stem cells for SCAs treatment were studied in the preclinical research including:

  • Neuroprotection — Loss of Purkinje cells is a common symptom of SCAs. The stem cells treated SCA animals could remain up to 86.6% of Purkinje cells while the un-treated SCA animals had only 66.4% left.
  • Neurotrophic factors secretion — The stem cells are able to secrete a combination of cytokines that contains growth factors including neurotrophic factors, angiogenic factors and immunomodulators that are critical for neurological disorders and SCAs.
  • Anti-oxidative ability — High level of oxidative stress is associated with deteriorating motor function in SCAs. The stem cells possess superior anti-oxidative ability and also play a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger in an oxidative environment.
  • Systemic effects — The stem cells are administrated through intravenous injection which provides systemic effects rather then specific symptom.
  • Blood-brain barrier crossing ability — The stem cells are able to engraft into the cerebellum of SCAs animal which facilitates the therapeutic effects through their neuroprotection and essential factor secretion ability.

Osteoarthritis Knee

Numerous studies have shown the therapeutic potential of stem cells to treat osteoarthritis knee. Transplantation of stem cells into the knee joint not only effectively ameliorated the inflammatory symptoms achieving pain relief, but also promoted growth of cartilage tissue on the joint surfaces and restoring the range of motion and functioning of the knee1. According to the nature of the stem cells processed from Steminent’s system to modulate the inflammation and to promote the tissue regeneration, it possess great potential in osteoarthritis knee treatment.

１Pain Physician. 2008, 11:343-353.

Acute Syndromes

Acute Liver Failure

A wide variety of liver diseases lead to the impairment of liver function and require medical intervention. The therapeutic potential of the stem cells obtained from Steminent’s system for liver regeneration was investigated in a lethal fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) animal model.  Remarkably, intravenous transplantation of the stem cells effectively rescued all recipient animals from hepatic failure while the untreated FHF animals died within 6 days after the chemical induction of the disease. Potential mechanism of actions were included:

  • Differentiation and engraftment of the stem cells — stem cells-derived hepatocytes were detected in the recipients.
  • Reduced oxidative stress level — the stem cells were found to be more resistant to ROS and resulted in faster reduction of oxidative stress in recipient animals.
  • Paracrine effects — The stem cells prominently stimulated recipient’s hepatocyte proliferation, suggesting a possible role for paracrine effects.

Metabolic Disorders

Diabetes mellitus

Depletion of pancreatic β-cells results in insulin insufficiency and diabetes mellitus. Multiple intravenous transplantation of the stem cells obtained from Steminent’s system was investigated for its therapeutic potential in a streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animal model.  Restored and maintained blood glucose homeostasis was observed after the multiple transplantations. Potential therapeutic effects may be contributed to:

  • Reduced oxidative stress level — Systemic oxidative stress levels were reduced from the seventh week of treatment.
  • Liver engraftment — The stem cells were observed to engraft into liver tissues of the recipients.
  • Insulin production — The stem cells in the recipient liver were observed to differentiate into insulin-producing cells and co-expressed human insulin.