A new molecule has been discovered – reported to be the “first of its kind” – that allows the multiplication of stem cells in a unit of umbilical cord blood. This is important because umbilical cord stem cells are used in transplants to treat blood diseases such as leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma.

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For many patients, a stem cell transplant is a last resort, and a lack of donors means that access to transplants is currently limited.

The umbilical cord blood from newborn children is considered to be an excellent source of hematopoietic stem cells that can be used in transplants.

Because the immune system is still immature, umbilical cord stem cells are less likely to trigger an adverse immune reaction in the transplant recipient. Also, unlike a bone marrow transplant, the donor and recipient do not need to have immunological compatibility in order for an umbilical cord stem cell transplant to be successful.

Stem cell transplants are usually only an option for child recipients, however, as the number of stem cells gathered from an umbilical cord is too low to successfully treat an adult. Scientists hope that the new molecule will make it possible to multiply stem cells in culture, producing enough stem cells to treat adults.

For many patients, a stem cell transplant is a last resort, and a lack of donors means that access to transplants is currently limited.

The new molecule was identified by researchers from the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at the Université de Montréal in Canada. It has been named UM171, in reference to the Université de Montréal.

The researchers claim that UM171 has the potential to multiply the number of transplant-ready cord blood units by 10. Non-white patients are expected to benefit from the discovery, as donors for some racial groups are difficult to identify.

Next, UM171 will be trialled alongside a new type of stem culture bioreactor in a clinical study, beginning December 2014.

Fast facts about hematopoietic stem cells
  • Hematopoietic stem cells are different from embryonic stem cells, which can develop into every type of cell in the body
  • Hematopoietic stem cells divide to form more blood-forming stem cells, or they mature into either white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets
  • Most hematopoietic stem cells are found in the bone marrow, but some cells are found in the bloodstream or umbilical cord.

“This new molecule, combined with the new bioreactor technology, will allow thousands of patients around the world access to a safer stem cell transplant,” says principal IRIC investigator Dr. Guy Sauvageau.

“Considering that many patients currently cannot benefit from a stem cell transplant for lack of matching donors, this discovery looks to be highly promising for the treatment of various types of cancer,” Sauvageau adds.

“These extraordinary advances result from the efforts of a remarkable team that includes extremely gifted students and postdoctoral investigators working in the IRIC laboratories.”

Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study that found the use of a drug called bortezomib improved outcomes of stem cell transplants between donors and recipients who were not related or matched.

According to the researchers, mismatched donor transplants are associated with a 1-year overall survival rate of 43%, and unrelated donor transplants with a 1-year overall survival rate of 52%.

In that trial, 34 patients with bone marrow-related cancers received bortezomib following a stem cell transplant. At 2 years after transplant, 8.8% of the patients had died from treatment-related mortality and 5.9% had died from relapse of the condition. Overall survival at 2 years after transplantation was at 84%.