Human derived umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy: New therapeutic weapon for cardiomyopathy

What is Cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is disease of the heart muscle in which the heart muscle becomes infected, enlarged, thick, or rigid.

Picture1

 

Current Treatment

Treatment options can only manage cardiomyopathy or reduce risks and they depend on the type of cardiomyopathy the patient has, the severity of the symptoms and complications, age and overall health. Current treatment options cannot completely cure the disease. Treatments may include:

  • Heart-healthy lifestyle changes
  • Medicines
  • Surgery and implanted devices

The main goals of current treatments cardiomyopathy include:

  • Controlling signs and managing symptoms so that patient can live as normally as possible
  • Managing any conditions that cause or contribute to the disease
  • Reducing complications and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest
  • Stopping the disease from getting worse

Cardiomyopathy incidences in India

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have emerged as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In India, 1.7-2.0 million deaths are attributed to CVDs annually. The South Indian region, which is home to one‑fifth of the total population of India, accounts for ~25% of total CVD-related deaths in the country. It is estimated that by 2030, death linked to cardiovascular complications will rise to 17.9 million in India alone, which is approximately 10 times the CVD-related mortality in the US. Prevalence of cardiomyopathy is reported to be higher in the South Asian population as compared to Western population. In India cardiomyopathy accounts for about 15-20% of sudden cardiac deaths.

Umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy to treat Cardiomyopathy

With a focus on recent advances that highlight the vascular potential exhibited by umbilical cord blood stem cells, new found study proves the efficacy of umbilical cord stem cells in the cure of cardiomyopathy. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have a significant potential to regenerate into cardiac muscle cells. Potential mechanisms of umbilical cord blood stem cells and amelioration of IDCM myocardium, consideration of these issues show that umbilical cord blood stem cells are conceivably new therapeutic agents for this complex and elusive human disorder. Indeed umbilical cord blood banking can create a healthier society.

Cord blood stem cell therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy: Preclinical studies have demonstrated that cord blood stem cells:
(i) Inhibit myocardial inflammation
(ii) Inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis
(iii) Stimulate angiogenesis
(iv) Display therapeutic activity in models of dilated cardiomyopathy

Clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit post-infarct remodelling, as well as potently block inflammatory processes in graft versus host and Crohn disease. Case report of a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy treated with intravenous allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells and expanded umbilical cord blood CD34 cells who underwent a profound clinical improvement.

Reference:
·         http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21641354
·         http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18549704

Cord blood for transplants is collected from the umbilical cord after a newborn baby is delivered. The stem cells from this cord blood are extracted in a Cell Processing Centre and preserved in -196ᵒ C liquid nitrogen tanks for future use.

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Process

Picture2

Picture3

Considering the incidences of cardiac diseases, life threatening complications of cardiomyopathy and high potential of umbilical cord blood stem cells; make the need for umbilical cord blood banking in India evident. Babycell is a service provider of umbilical cord blood banking in India. Babycell achieved its ISO certification in the first year itself; by the second year of operations they received GMP, GLP and GCP certifications. Babycell also provides value added services like new born screening (NBS), CFU assay- to test the ability of stem cells to differentiate, HLA testing, Father’s wellness program and more.

 

One thought on “Human derived umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy: New therapeutic weapon for cardiomyopathy

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *