New Stem Cells Treat Multiple Sclerosis in Mice

Xiaofang Wang is continuing his extensive studies in the world of stem cell research. He is now looking to utilize stem cells to treat MS patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the body accidentally damages neurons and affects the communication between the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body. Severe cases of MS result in paralysis or the inability to speak. The incurable disease affects over 2.3 million people worldwide.

Xiaofang Wang and his team of scientists replicated the first experiment that cloned human embryos capable of producing embryonic stem cells using DNA taken from infants. A month and a half after that, Wang and his team reported that human embryonic stem cells might have the ability to treat multiple sclerosis in humans after successful trials on mice.

The researchers took cells from frozen human embryos and transformed them into an immature cell called a mesenchymal stem cell. This type of cell could potentially help treat multiple sclerosis after the researchers found that they appeared to travel to the damaged tissues in mice and helped mitigate the immune system response that affected the neurons' health.

"Untreated mice were suffering. They are paralyzed. They on their backs. They are dragging their limbs. They are in really sad shape. Treated animals, they are walking and jumping around just like normal mice," said Dr. Lanza, a supporting scientist involved in Wang's research, in this NBC News article.

The study, "Human ESC-Derived MSCs Outperform Bone Marrow MSCs in the Treatment of an EAE Model of Multiple Sclerosis," was published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research in the journal Stem Cell Reports on Thursday.

The new stem cells helped reduce the symptoms of the MS-like disease in the mice and also prevented further damage to the brain's nerve cells. Such testing on humans is many months away Lanza said, but he believes if all goes as planned, human embryonic stem cells will be able to match any patient with the disease and they will not need to use controversial cloning technology that puts the political world up in arms.