(July 22, 2015) Compounds
boost stem cell engraftment; could allow more matches for patients with cancer
and blood diseases
Using large-scale zebrafish drug-screening models, Harvard
Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital have
identified a potent group of chemicals that helps bone marrow transplants
engraft or “take.” The findings, featured on the cover of the today’s issue of
Nature, could lead to human trials in patients with cancer and blood disorders
within a year or two, says senior investigator Leonard Zon, MD, a member of the
HSCI Executive Committee and a Professor in Harvard’s Department of Stem Cell
and Regenerative Biology.
The compounds, known as epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, or EETs,
boosted stem cell engraftment in both zebrafish and mice and could make human
bone marrow transplant more efficient. Better engraftment could also allow
umbilical cord blood to be used as an alternative to marrow as a source of
blood stem cells, greatly increasing a patient’s chances of finding a matched
donor and enhancing safety.
“Ninety percent of cord blood units can’t be used because
they’re too small,” explains Zon, who directs the Stem Cell Research Program at
Boston Children’s. “If you add these chemicals, you might be able to use more
units. Being able to get engraftment allows you to pick a smaller cord blood
sample that might be a better match.”