Recent Advances in Stem Cell Therapy for Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Armel Herve Nwabo Kamdje,
Paul Faustin Seke Etet
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 6-1, December 2014
Pages:
1-6
Received:
19 July 2014
Accepted:
17 October 2014
Published:
5 November 2014
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijbse.s.2014020601.11
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Abstract: Many reports have emphasized the potential of stem/progenitor cells as intervention strategy to repair damaged tissue, providing new hope for the treatment of various diseases and conditions previously intractable like myelodysplastic syndromes, clonal hematopoietic disorders where blood-forming cells are damaged in the bone marrow. Early experimental evidence and growing clinical evidence strongly suggest that transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells can repair the bone marrow and even cure myelodysplastic syndromes, with a reduced risk of rejection and manageable side effects. These findings have opened new avenues for cell-based cancer therapies, which have been providing very encouraging results in myelodysplastic syndromes and a number of blood cancers. However, though relatively minimal toxicity is reported in young adult patients, allogeneic stem cell transplantation still associates with life threatening undesired effects in pediatric and senior patients. In addition, a considerable fraction of these patients may also develop graft-versus-host disease. Recent advances in allogeneic stem cell transplantation in myelodysplastic syndrome as therapeutic strategy are herein briefly discussed, as well as newly proposed strategies to overcome the drawbacks of this technique.
Abstract: Many reports have emphasized the potential of stem/progenitor cells as intervention strategy to repair damaged tissue, providing new hope for the treatment of various diseases and conditions previously intractable like myelodysplastic syndromes, clonal hematopoietic disorders where blood-forming cells are damaged in the bone marrow. Early experimen...
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Angiogenesis Inhibition by Antioxidants
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 6-1, December 2014
Pages:
7-19
Received:
9 October 2014
Accepted:
12 December 2014
Published:
30 December 2014
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijbse.s.2014020601.12
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Abstract: Reducing cancer morbidity and mortality requires several synergic approaches target on tumoural cells and their environment. Angiogenesis is the development of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature. This process is normally observed only transiently during embryogenesis, and in adulthood, during wound healing and uterus function. However, pathologic angiogenesis is involved in some diseases, including cancer. Tumoural angiogenesis favors cancer invasion and metastasis emission. Normally, endothelial cells are maintained in a latent state, but under determined stimulus they suffer activation, a process called “angiogenic switch”. Among stimulatory angiogenic factors are vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoetin-1 and 2, interleukin-8 (IL-8), fibroblast growth factor basic (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and angiotensin II. Furthermore, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-2 and MMP-9, play role in angiogenesis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), participates in angiogenesis signaling through VEGF receptors, mainly VEGFR2 (Flk-1/KDR), and angiopoietin-I/Tie-2 receptors. The major source of ROS in endothelial cells is the enzyme NAD(P)H oxidase, but the role of nitric oxide (NO•), from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), should not be neglected. Moreover, oxidized phospholipids and products from arachidonic acid metabolism can participate in angiogenesis induction. Then, it would be likely that antioxidants could inhibit angiogenesis. Really, a number of studies demonstrated that several antioxidants found in natural products (catechins from teas, resveratrol, polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavones, lycopene, pigment epithelium-derived factor, glutathione); nutritional components (vitamins C, D, E, β-carotene and selenium); and semi-synthetic and synthetic compounds (N-acetylcysteine, L-NAME, L-NIO, sodium piruvate, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, and organoselenium compounds) were able to inhibit angiogenesis. These compounds were tested in several in vitro assays and in vivo animal models and inhibited angiogenesis via redox-sensitive and insensitive mechanisms. Thus, the consumption of antioxidants from natural sources can be recommended in face to benefic effects related to angiogenesis inhibition, while high fat diet can be undesired. In addition, some semi-synthetic and synthetic compounds has potential as future drugs for inhibiting tumoural angiogenesis, but it needs more detailed studies in terms of efficacy and security.
Abstract: Reducing cancer morbidity and mortality requires several synergic approaches target on tumoural cells and their environment. Angiogenesis is the development of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature. This process is normally observed only transiently during embryogenesis, and in adulthood, during wound healing and uterus function. Howe...
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Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer: Challenges Remaining
Armel Herve Nwabo Kamdje,
Paul Faustin Seke Etet,
Kiven Erique Lukong
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 6-1, December 2014
Pages:
20-24
Received:
19 July 2014
Accepted:
19 December 2014
Published:
27 January 2015
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijbse.s.2014020601.13
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Abstract: The treatment of breast cancer, the most common malignancy among women worldwide, remains puzzling partly due to the resistance to therapeutics, which associates with the heterogeneity of case clinical presentations, and limits in the current understanding of the pathogenesis of solid cancers. Notably, it remains unclear: (i) whether breast cancer starts strictly as a local disease before metastasizing to the lymph nodes and distant organs, i.e. if cancer initiating cells are local cells that have undergone epithelial to mesenchymal transition; (ii) or if breast cancer is intrinsically a systemic disease started by malfunctioning circulating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) infiltrating the breast stroma to start tumorigenesis. Such limits in our understanding of breast cancer biology have been slowing the development of MSC-based therapies exploiting the ability of these cells to home into tumorigenic sites, kill cancer cells, stop neoangiogenesis, and repair damaged tissues, as well as therapeutic approaches using these cells as vehicle for gene therapy and for delivering anticancer therapeutics, which are potential game changing therapeutic approaches, particularly in currently incurable cancers and intractable cases. Major drawbacks to MSC-based therapy implementation and use in breast cancer are herein briefly discussed.
Abstract: The treatment of breast cancer, the most common malignancy among women worldwide, remains puzzling partly due to the resistance to therapeutics, which associates with the heterogeneity of case clinical presentations, and limits in the current understanding of the pathogenesis of solid cancers. Notably, it remains unclear: (i) whether breast cancer ...
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