Muse cells show potential for chronic illness therapy
A recent study from the BioMed Central found that multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells have a high potential for regenerative properties for patients with chronic illnesses.
This newfound cell lineage may allow patients to relieve side effects of their illnesses. In some cases, this new bio-technology may cure a patient’s chronic illness.
The regenerative quality of Muse cells is due to their ability to effectively target damaged tissues and further differentiate into the required cell type. Once injected, Muse cells can locate cells damaged by chronic illnesses and return them to a functional state.
Muse cells’ ability to differentiate into various cell types, or pluripotency, is closely related to stem cells, a similar technology of pluripotent cells that are derived from embryos.
Stem cells have been used as a regenerative treatment for a variety of diseases such as cancer and spinal cord injuries. However, they have also been found to form teratomas, which are life-threatening uncontrolled tissue growths.
“In contrast to embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells, Muse cells exhibit low telomerase activity, a normal karyotype, and do not undergo tumorigenesis once implanted in mice,” said María L. Gimeno, a researcher at the Biomedicine Research Institute of Buenos Aires.
Muse cells exhibit properties unlike cancer cells, which are unique in comparison to their stem cell counterparts. Their ability to not reproduce uncontrollably and reinforce their gene regeneration contributes to their regenerative promise in patients.
Muse cells are formed in the lab by placing normal cells under stressful circumstances, such as changing the environmental pH, or acidity. This allows for many Muse cells to be formed quickly and effectively, allowing for widespread use of the technology.
Muse cells are immunomodulatory, or have the ability to suppress and stimulate the immune system, and have the ability to change in reaction to different environmental factors. This determines their inherent regenerative properties and allows for patients with multiple chronic diseases to have one comprehensive treatment.
Muse cells have been found effective in a variety of animal disease models. Muse cell injections have been shown to have positive effects on many diseases such as strokes and diabetic skin ulcers.
Muse cells are also naturally found in blood and have been found to have higher occurrence rates in stroke patients due to the stress caused by the stroke. Researchers believe that increasing the natural rates of Muse cells in patients will increase their recovery rate.
“When implanted in vivo, post cerebral hemorrhage (stroke), Muse cells exhibited an accelerated and significant recovery of motor skills in mice in comparison to non-Muse controls,” said Dr. Gregorio D. Chazenbalk, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.
Since Muse cells have a high resistance to cellular stress, they thrive in conditions created by strokes. In turn, they begin to quickly heal nerve cells and improve motor function skills in animal models.
“Muse-AT cells also successfully differentiate into dermal cells and promote wound healing in diabetic skin ulcers,” said Samantha C. Fisch, a researcher at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
Muse cells can effectively heal all three layers of skin with one treatment, which may prove beneficial in healing surgical scars for surgeries. This can further lead to improved body image perception for patients.
Along with this, the treatment has been found to improve older patients’ recovery times. Older patients have lower levels of Muse cells; thus, the injection allows for a faster and more comprehensive healing process.
“Based on their unique qualities and vast potential, Muse cells are a very promising candidate for tissue regeneration and stem cell therapy,” Chazenbalk said.
