Molecular detection helps extract stem cells for blood cancer treatment

Researchers in Australia have discovered a chemical molecule that allows to identify, lead and collect stem cells from donor's blood to treat cancer patients. From here, researchers hope to develop a new, simpler and faster treatment technique in place of the traditional bone marrow transplant solution.

Molecules help extract stem cells from donors.

For leukemia, chemotherapy also reduces bone marrow - a substance found in bone cavities and responsible for blood cell production. Extracting healthy bone marrow cells from donors and transplanting into a patient can help restore blood cell regeneration but this is not simple.

The solution to taking stem cells from blood instead of bone marrow is one of the methods that brings a higher success rate because they are easier to collect in more numbers. This technique will require " mobilization " agents , namely chemical molecules that guide stem cells from bone marrow into the blood stream so that they can be collected later. However, this method is only possible when used in conjunction with a growth agent - a substance that can stimulate cell growth and development.

However, scientists from the Australian Community Health Research Organization (CSIRO) and the Australian Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (ARMI) have discovered that a molecule can play a leading role in cells. root without growth factor. They demonstrated the technique by combining the BOP (Benzotriazol-1-yloxy) tris (dimethylamino) phosphonium hexafluorophosphate) with a mobilizing agent called AMD3100 or Plerifaxor that is currently commonly used to treat cancer. letter. As a result, the stem cells were "exposed" in the blood within an hour with only 1 dose of BOP + AMD3100.

Dr. Susie Nilsson of CSIRO said: " The current treatment does not require the donor to be injected with growth agents for several days before starting stem cell collection. The new method will not be needed. to these agents, which means shortening the time to complete procedures from a few days to just 1 hour. "

In preclinical studies, researchers have yet to detect side effects and once transplanted, stem cells show that they have helped restore the bone marrow system. They said the study will pave the way for a more efficient technique for collecting stem cells and minimizing pressure on donors and patients. The next step, they will find a way to combine BOP molecules with growth agents in the first phase of human testing, then they officially use the combination of BOP and AMD3100.