Chinese scientists take ‘important step’ in stem cell therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease
- Chinese Academy of Sciences team discovered a new technique they say improved efficacy and safety in study on mice
- Stem cell therapy is seen as a promising strategy as the disease is caused by the loss of one type of cell from a certain spot in the brain
Chinese researchers have discovered a new technique they say improved the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy in mice models of Parkinson’s disease.
The team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said their study findings paved the way for potentially developing a stem cell therapy to treat the disease.
The researchers identified two cell surface markers of dopamine neurons, which are damaged or destroyed in the midbrain of someone with Parkinson’s disease.
They then injected cells with these markers into the brains of mice, which they found could significantly improve the dopamine neurons in the midbrain – a key step in the treatment of the disease.
The finding “represents a revolutionary step on the road towards more effective and safer stem cell therapies”, according to the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on Tuesday.
Neurological disorders are the leading source of disability globally, and Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s. There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but the symptoms can be managed with medications and other therapies.