Stem Cell Strategy for Heart Repair

Researchers are now using stem cell based therapies to repair the heart after an injury such as cardiac ischemia or heart attack. Such injuries limit the ability of the heart to pump producing lower oxygen blood levels. That makes it harder for a person to perform daily activities.

The new therapy benefits heart repair by replacing heart tissue that has died with new and functional tissue using stem cells. In previous therapies less than 1% of the stem cells lived beyond transplantation. This is due to their inability to survive in the ischemic environment with its metabolic demands.

From mouse models the research has shown that this problem can be remedied by the reintroduction of a protein called LIN28. This protein is found to be extremely active in a developing heart and can function under low oxygen conditions. Postnatally this appears to slow down and the low oxygen resilience is lost.

The team discovered that by introducing LIN28 to an adult heart the cardiac stem cells express the metabolic qualities of young developing cells. This will greatly improve cardiac stem cells’ chance of survival by providing more metabolic flexibility. It’s almost like reverse aging was in process.

The adult heart is very sensitive to a decrease in the availability of oxygen due to changes in cellular metabolism. This suggests that these characteristics in the heart help determine the affect post transplantation will have on stem cells.

The team wanted to determine if metabolic sensors that are delivered to the developing heart could impart more metabolic flexibility to CTSC’s (cardiac tissue derived stem like cells). These are present in neonatal and adult heart tissue but only deliver LIN28 to a developing heart. In the adult tissue of the heart, CTSC’s possess the potential to regenerate and are generally silent.

The team reintroduced LIN28 in adult mice CTSC’s in vitro, and then analyzed the outcomes on pathway signaling. This is part of cellular growth, metabolism, and regeneration. They discovered that LIN28 expression did produce a great regenerative response. This changed the CTSC’s to promote survival and growth in response to oxidative stress. It resulted in notable improvements in cardiac function and structure.

LIN28 modified energy production in CTSC’s which led to the secretion of many factors that are advantageous for the survival of heart cells. The cells took on a more youthful composition.

The team plans to translate their findings into larger animals and to find out if cardiac stem cells obtained from humans can be reprogrammed by LIN28. The studies have significant value in determining how stem cell therapy for heart disease is approached.

To view the original scientific study click below:
LIN28a induced metabolic and redox regulation promotes cardiac cell survival in the heart after ischemic injury

Sit and Stand From Floor to Maintain Strength and Vitality

How hard is it for you to get up from sitting on the floor? A study done in 2014 found that the ease of standing from sitting on the floor can be a significant predictor of longevity in older adults. More recent research in May 2020 backs up the findings.

The study participant’s ranged in age from 51 to 80. In the follow-up period after the study, those who found standing from a sitting position on the floor easiest had a substantially longer life expectancy. A person’s ease of standing from a sitting position is a reflection of overall health and fitness.

As we age our joints and muscles tend to get stiff. Spending some time sitting on the floor and then standing up everyday can lead to better balance, coordination and stability. It will move the joints and muscles and strengthen a person’s core and legs. When standing, the core of a person’s body is engaged to pull itself up. Doing this multiple times will increase balance and stability and decrease risk of falls.

The procedure of standing is similar to an exercise squat. Therefore, doing this on a daily basis is essentially getting the same low body exercise benefit as a squat. The joints and body parts such as hips, knees, feet, shoulders, wrists and elbows and all used, thus increasing mobility.

Sitting on the floor also encourages a person to stay more upright instead of slouching or hunching over. It is important to sit correctly so as to not put extra strain on vertebrae or spinal discs. Always sit with your torso straight and tall and gently pull your shoulder blades together and down. You can also use a towel or small pillow to ease any discomfort on the tailbone. This will also put your pelvis and spine in better alignment.

You can sit down cross-legged, legs straight out in front of you or with your feet flat and knees bent. These are all good ways to sit on the floor. Before you sit on the floor visualize doing it. Then when you are ready to stand visualize it again. This will help with the process and is a good practice to get into when starting to sit and stand everyday.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality

Mediterranean Diet Shown to Benefit Older Adults

A new study has shown a lower mortality rate in adults aged over 65 can be achieved by adhering to a Mediterranean diet. This analysis was determined from the InCHIANTI project based in Tuscany, Italy. Over a 20-year period a total of 642 women, of which 56% were aged 65 or older participated.

The study team developed a list of dietary biomarkers from the different foods in the Mediterranean diet and evaluated any link they had with mortality.

The team used the participant’s urine to note the levels of polyphenols and resveratrol metaboites. They also noted the levels of selenium, carotenoids, fatty acids and vitamin B12 in plasma and the proportion of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids. Through the use of a predictive model, evaluations were made linking a Mediterranean diet and the FFQ (food-frequency questionnaire) with mortality.

There were 425 participant deaths during the monitoring of 20 years, of which 139 were from cardiovascular diseases and 89 were due to cancer-related causes. After the models were analyzed, the score of the Mediterranean diet using the biomarkers was inversely linked with all causes of death.

The study shows the use of dietary biomarkers can be used to help improve nutrition and create an assessment for people who are older.

The team confirms that consuming a Mediterranean diet using an index of dietary biomarkers can be linked with long term mortality in older aged adults. It supports using biomarkers in monitoring evaluations to look at the health benefits linked to the Mediterranean diet.

The conclusions are based on an analysis of dietary biomarkers in urine and plasma and can contribute to the individualized assessment of food for older people.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed by a novel dietary biomarker score and mortality in older adults: the InCHIANTI cohort study

Healthiest Time to Go To Bed

In a recent study it was discovered that going to bed and to sleep between 10 pm and 11 pm lowers the risk of developing heart disease when compared to other times of the night.

A person’s circadian rhythm helps regulate mental and physical functioning. This internal body clock works best when there is a routine bedtime. The study indicates that the optimum time to go to bed is at a specific point in the body’s 24-hour cycle. Many people go to bed when they feel tired and can fall asleep. But this study has shown that going to bed between 10 pm and 11 pm is optimum. Falling asleep after midnight showed a 25% higher risk of cardiovascular health problems while going to bed earlier than 10 pm results in a 24% increase. The highest risk is after midnight because it may reduce the chances of seeing morning light which will reset the body’s internal clock.

Studies have shown that people who sleep poorly for any reason will live a shorter life. To help a person fall asleep a consistent bedtime routine in addition to eating at proper times and exercising is recommended. Timing of sleep can also be a contributor to good heart health and that if you go to sleep too late or too early it will be detrimental to heart health.

The study included more the 88,000 people between the ages of 43 and 79 who collected data on their wake up time and bedtime over a 7-day period using an accelerometer. They also completed lifestyle, health, demographic, and physical assessments.

These participants were tracked over a 5 to 7 year period which included diagnoses of health disease such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, chronic ischemic heart disease and transient ischemic attack.

They found that 3% of the participants later developed cardiovascular disease. The highest incidence was in those who went to bedtime at midnight or later and lowest in those who went to bed between 10 pm and 11 pm.

Those participants who went to sleep at midnight or later showed a 25% higher risk of heart disease. The risk was 12% greater when going to sleep between 11 pm and 11:59 pm. And a 24% increase in heart disease going to sleep before 10 pm.

The link between sleep time and cardiovascular risk was highest among women. This may be from the endocrine system responding to a change in circadian rhythm. A factor could be the participants age since women’s cardiovascular risk will increase post menopause.

Timing seems to be more important than quantity. People who sleep less than 7 hours are at a higher risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

This study shows increasing evidence indicating that what time we sleep and how we sleep may be an important factor contributing to heart heath. Adverse cardiovascular health effects may occur when our schedule for sleep is misaligned with our circadian rhythm on a regular basis. When busy schedules interfere with the a person’s bedtime adverse health conditions can occur.

The team notes that the 10 pm to 11 pm sleep window which was identified in this study may not apply to all people. Additional research is needed.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Accelerometer-derived sleep onset timing and cardiovascular disease incidence: a UK Biobank cohort study

Goji Berries May Provide Protection Against Age Related Loss of Vision

A new small randomized trial has shown that consuming a small amount of dried goji berries on a regular basis may help delay or prevent developing age related macular degeneration or AMD. It is the leading cause of loss of vision in the older population and is estimated to affect over 1 million in the U.S. and 170 million throughout the world. It is a condition that affects the central field of vision and the ability to recognize faces or read.

In this study, healthy participants between the ages of 45 to 65 ate 27 grams or about one ounce of goji berries 5 times per week for a period of 90 days. The team found this increased the density of protective pigments in their eyes. In contrast, 14 study participants who consumed a commercial supplement throughout the same period did not show any increase.

The particular pigments that increased in the group who consumed the goji berries were zeaxanthin and lutein. These are known to provide antioxidant protection and filter out blue light that is harmful. Both pigments help protect the eyes while we age. They are like sunscreen for the eyes. The higher these pigments are in the retina, the more protection is provided.

The study discovered that even in normal healthy eyes, zeaxanthin and lutein can be increased with a small serving of goji berries eaten daily.

Goji berries are a fruit that comes from shrubby bushes found in Northwest China. The dried goji berries are a popular ingredient in Chinese soups and are also popular as a herbal tea. They are close to raisins when consumed as a snack.

Bioactive compounds were researched in goji berries and it was found they contain high levels of zeaxanthin and lutein. The zeaxanthin form in goji berries is a highly bioavailable form meaning it is easily absorbed in the digestive system so the body is able to use it.

Currently, the treatments for intermediate stages of AMD include using AREDS which are special dietary supplements that contain vitamins E, C copper, lutein and zeaxanthin. There isn’t any known therapy at this time that has been shown to help with early stages of AMD.

The cause of AMD is multifactorial and complex and involves a mix of genetic risks, diet, smoking, sun exposure and age related changes. Early stages do not have symptoms, however it can be detected by a physician along with other problems in a regular and comprehensive eye examination.

The study shows that goji berries which are a natural food source can improve macular pigments of healthy people beyond the intake of high doses of nutritional supplements.

The next part of the study is to examine goji berries in people with early stage AMD. The results of the current study are promising, however the team notes that the study was small and additional research is required.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Goji Berry Intake Increases Macular Pigment Optical Density in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Pilot Trial

Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Health

The American Heart Association has presented research that stem cell therapy can help people that have chronic, high-risk heart failure reduce future occurrences.

When the heart is unable to pump blood adequately to satisfy the body of oxygen and nutrients, heart failure can occur. This study was conducted to examine how injecting stem cells into the heart could treat inflammation and reduce chronic heart failure. The potential of this procedure is important on changing the way treatment for heart failure is administered.

The study addresses the aspects of heart failure like inflammation, which are greatly untreated. Currently, the treatments are device therapy development and pharmaceutical. These new findings indicate stem cell therapy could be used in addition to standard guideline therapies.

The study consisted of 537 adult participants that were divided into 2 groups. All of the participants had a history of heart failure and also exhibited reduced ejection fraction. This is when the heart’s left side, which is the main pumping chamber is weakened.

Half of the group were randomly chosen to receive an injection of 150 million stem cells directly into the heart using a catheter. The rest of the group received a scripted procedure that was fake. The participants were then monitored for about 30 months.

The main focus was to see if any of the stem cell recipients had to be admitted to the hospital for worsening heart failure treatment. They also tracked to see whether or not any of the participants had a stroke, heart attack or had died. They were measured for levels of high-sensitivity CRP (c-reactive protein) which is an indication of inflammation found in the blood.

And that while hospitalizations did not decrease other significant findings did occur. The participants that had the stem cell injection showed a 65% reduction in strokes and non-fatal heart attacks. Of those that had high levels of inflammation they showed 79% less to have a stroke or non-fatal heart attack and 80% less cardiac death.

It was determined that the stem cell injection treatment was effective in addition to the current standard treatments for heart failure. The stem cells also helped blood vessels in the body but acted primarily in the heart. This is the first time that these cells could be linked to a cause and effect support to heart failure.

Further research is warranted to understand the progression of heart failure and how the stem cell injections can affect it.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Stem cell therapy for heart failure reduced major CV events and death, not hospitalization

Using Space to Leverage Stem Cell Medicine and Science

Zero gravity conditions found in space may be the secret to mass producing stem cells with life saving advances here on earth.

Stem cells tend to be more productive in microgravity conditions. They could be produced by biomanufacturing biomaterials like microbes and substances to be used in clinical, preclinical and therapeutic applications.

Researchers have found that microgravity and spaceflight are desirable places for biomanufacturing. This is due to the fact that a variety of special properties can be sent to biological processes and tissues. This may help produce cells and other products in a method that can’t be done on earth.

The last 10 years have shown exceptional progress in regenerative medicine research in space technologies which are creating new avenues to commercialize and access space.

More than fifty possible business opportunities for conducting biomanufacturing could be available in space. The three most promising were biofabrication, disease modeling, and products derived from stem cells.

Biofabrication uses manufacturing processes in order to produce materials like organs and tissues. Printing in the form of 3D is one of the basic biofabrication technologies.

A significant issue with the production of these materials on earth involve gravity-induced density. This makes it difficult for cells to expand and grow. With the absence of density of gravity in space, researchers hope they can use printing in the form of 3D to print unique products and shapes in a manner that can’t be done of earth.

Disease modeling is used to study diseases and potential treatments by copying full function structures using organoids, stem cells or other tissues.

Researchers have discovered that exposing the body to low gravity conditions for an extensive period of time can accelerate aging and bone loss. Through the development of disease models, researchers are able to understand the mechanisms of disease progression and aging,

This work not only helps astronauts, but can lead to manufacturing skeletal muscle or bone constructs. These can then be used for diseases such as osteoporosis and similar varieties of muscle wasting in the acceleration of bone aging that happen on earth.

The third avenue is stem cell production in relation to understanding how their fundamental components are affected by microgravity. It is important to discover some of the properties that lead to stem cell renewal and differentiation.

Through understanding how stem cells are affected in spaceflight it can possibly lead to improved manufacturing of stem cells in low gravity. Plans are in process with NASA and a private contractor to send stem cells into space next year. This will determine whether it is possible to produce them in large quantities in an environment that is low gravity.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Biomanufacturing in low Earth orbit for regenerative medicine

Young Blood Helps Rejuvenate Aged Muscles in Mice

As we age our muscles become weaker and smaller and not able to heal as well after an injury. Researchers in a new study have made an important discovery to keep muscles in mice youthful. This discovery could advance the regeneration of muscle therapies for the older population.

The study shows the pattern of circulating extracellular vesicles or EVs. They deliver instructions genetically such as mRNA needed to make the longevity protein Klotho to the cells in muscles. Impaired muscle repair and loss of function of muscles in older mice can be due to older EV’s. They send less mRNA than those in younger mice. These findings are a significant advance in the understanding why the capacity for muscle regeneration lessens with age.

This news is exciting because it helps to understand the biology as to how regeneration of muscle works and doesn’t work as well as people age. Taking this information further, the hope is that EV’s can be used as therapeutics to prevent the defects related to age. EV’s may also be useful in the regeneration of other parts of the body such as organs.

The study adds to years of research showing that the blood of younger mice when given to older mice restores many tissues and cells. In the past it wasn’t clear which components conveyed the rejuvenating effects.

The team wondered if EV’s might add to the regeneration of muscles by traveling between cells through the blood and other fluids. They found that the EV’s are able to deliver information to the muscle cells.

The team collected serum from blood cells in the younger mice that remained after clotting factors. They then injected this into the older mice who had injured muscles. The mice that were given this serum showed greater regeneration of muscles and functional recovery when compared to the mice who received a placebo treatment. However, the serum’s properties to restore the muscles were lost when the EV’s were removed from the serum showing that the vesicles mediated the beneficial effects of the younger blood.

Looking deeper, the team found that EV’s deliver mRNA or genetic instructions that encode the anti-aging Klotho protein to muscle ancestor cells. These types of cells are important for skeletal muscle regeneration. Fewer copies of the Klotho instructions were collected from the EV’s in older mice than those from the younger mice. This prompted muscle ancestor cells to produce smaller amounts of the protein.

As we age, muscles do not heal as well after damage due to creation of scar tissue instead of muscle. In earlier research, the team discovered that Klotho’s regulation of regenerative capacity in muscle ancestor cells is vital and this protein declines with age.

For the first time this study shows that shifts in EV delivery due to age contributes to depletion of Klotho in older stem cells. This suggests that EV’s have the potential for new therapies to heal muscle tissue damage.

EV’s may be advantageous for boosting muscle regenerative capacity in older people and improvement of functional recovery following an injury. An exciting possibility is the engineering EV’s with specific carriers so that they can dictate the target cells responses.

Besides muscles, EV’s might also help improve other affects of aging. Earlier work showed that young blood improves cognitive performance of older mice.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Regulation of aged skeletal muscle regeneration by circulating extracellular vesicles

New Link Between Diet, Intestinal Stem Cells and Disease

An unhealthy diet can increase the risk for diabetes, obesity, and gastrointestinal cancer. Researchers have discovered some new insights that help them better understand the connection between the molecular mechanisms responsible for this. The findings open an avenue for developing non-invasive therapies.

A person’s energy balance is maintained by the intestine and it reacts quickly when changes in its nutrient balance and nutrition occur. It does this with the assistance of intestinal cells along with food absorption and hormone secretion. Every 5-7 days these cells regenerate.

Intestinal stem cells are constantly renewing and developing into intestinal cells. This ability is critical for the digestive system to maintain normal adaptability. An unhealthy diet consisting of fats and sugar disrupt this adaptation and can lead to the development of gastrointestinal cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The research team wanted to find out the molecular mechanisms contributing to this maladptation. They assumed that intestinal stem cells play an important role. By using mice, they measured how a diet high in fats and sugar affected the cells and then compared the results to a control group.

Their findings showed that the size of the small intestine increased substantially with the unhealthy diet. They then compared 27,000 intestinal cells from the high fat/high sugar diet group to the control group. The intestinal stem cells divided and changed faster in the mice on the unhealthy diet. The team hypothesized this happens due to an upregulation of the signaling pathways that links an acceleration of tumor growth in many types of cancer. This is a probable important link that diet influences metabolic signaling leading to an excessive growth of intestinal stem cells and a high risk of gastrointestinal cancer.

With a high resolution technique, the team were able to study cell types that are rare in the intestine. They demonstrated that an unhealthy diet produces less serotonin in the intestine. The study also showed that absorbing cells adapt to the high fat diet and the functionality increases which produces weight gain.

The findings lead to a new understanding of disease mechanisms that are linked to a high calorie diet. They are of critical importance for the development of alternative non-invasive therapies. As of now there are no pharmacological approaches to stop, prevent or reverse diabetes and obesity. Only bariatric surgery can cause permanent weight loss and can lead to a remission of diabetes. These surgeries are non-reversible, invasive and costly.

New non-invasive therapies could be a reality at the hormonal level through targeted regulation of serotonin levels. The group will be examining this and other approaches in later studies.

To view the original scientific study click below:Diet-induced alteration of intestinal stem cell function underlies obesity and prediabetes in mice

Is it Healthy to Eat at Night?

While it may be hard to fit nutritious meals into a busy day especially for someone who works late hours, it appears that eating at nighttime could be bad for your health.

In a study by the National Institutes of Health, a team divided 19 participants, both women and men, into two different groups with different schedules for meals. One group ate during the day, while the other group ate at night. The participants who ate at nighttime showed a 6.4% increase in glucose levels. This can lead to a variety of severe health issues including heart disease and diabetes.

The research reinforces that at what time you eat does matter for determining outcomes of health such as blood sugar levels. This is relevant for workers at night as they will usually eat while on their night shift.

If you do eat at night, there are a few things at play that can effect glucose levels. Typically a person eats easy to grab, highly processed foods that are high in calories, salt and sugar. And the inability to burn some of the calories before you go to bed can result in weight gain.

One of the most important things a person can do is to change eating habits by putting together a daytime routine. Staying away from erratic eating times and creating a consistent eating schedule will go a long way towards benefiting a persons health.

To view the original scientific study click below:
Daytime eating prevents internal circadian misalignment and glucose intolerance in night work

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