Human cord blood may help ALS patients
Published: June 27, 2008 at 7:01 PM

TAMPA, Fla., June 27 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have slowed the progress of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease in mice, using cells from umbilical cord blood.

In ALS, motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain degenerate, causing progressive muscle weakness, paralysis and, finally, respiratory failure three to five years after diagnosis.

University of South Florida in Tampa researchers say mononuclear human umbilical cord blood -- MNC hUCB -- cells may modulate immune and inflammatory effects and could have a protective effect on dying motor neurons. The researchers injected various doses of human umbilical cord blood cells into mice with ALS.

The findings, published online in the journal PloS, indicated the moderate dose was most effective in slowing disease progression.

"Our results demonstrate that treatment for ALS with an appropriate dose of MNC hUBC cells may provide a neuroprotective effect for motor neurons through active involvement of these cells in modulating the host immune inflammatory system response," study lead author Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis said in a statement.

"Future studies should look at multiple injections of smaller doses over time, in order to help translate this research to clinical trials," study co-author Paul Sanberg said.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/...4531214607678/