Nasal Spray of Stem Cell Vesicles First Step Toward Treating Brain Diseases

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Director Institute for Regenerative Medicine Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Temple, TX

Dr. Prockop

Dr. Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Temple, TX

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: We and many others have been trying for many years to develop therapies with adult stem cells that might rescue the brain from the injuries and disease. Recently many of found that small vesicles secreted by adult stem cells have many of the beneficial effects of the cells themselves. The paper shows that a nasal spray of the vesicles can rescue mice from the long-term effects of severe epilepsy.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: The results raise the possibility that a similar nasal spray administered in a doctor’s office might help patients with other diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinsonism.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: We have a great deal of further work to determine whether this will be a safe and effective treatment for patients. And we have begun this work.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Qianfa Long, Dinesh Upadhya, Bharathi Hattiangady, Dong-Ki Kim, Su Yeon An, Bing Shuai, Darwin J. Prockop, and Ashok K. Shetty
Intranasal MSC-derived A1-exosomes ease inflammation, and prevent abnormal neurogenesis and memory dysfunction after status epilepticus
PNAS 2017 ; published ahead of print April 10, 2017, doi:10.1073/pnas.1703920114

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Last Updated on April 12, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD