Principal Investigators

E. Lynette Wilson, Ph.D., Dept. of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine Patricia E. Burger, Dept. of Immunology, University of Cape Town School of Medicine

The therapeutic use of embryonic stem cells for treating a variety of disorders is currently a topic of significant interest. It has recently been shown that circulating stem cells from adults have the capacity to give rise to tissues of multiple lineages including hematopoietic, endothelial, muscle, liver, lung and skin. Such a cell would have significant potential for treating a wide variety of diseases.

Description of the Project
We have recently isolated a circulating CD34+ stem cell population that expresses receptors for fibroblast growth factor (FGFRs). Cells within this CD34+FGFR+ population express both primitive hematopoietic markers (AC133, Thy 1) and endothelial cell markers (VE-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, P1H12, TIE, TEK, CD31) on their surfaces. The isolated CD34+FGFR+ cells grow slowly in culture in an FGF and VEGF dependent manner and give rise to endothelial cells as evidenced by expression of von Willebrand factor and VE-cadherin. It is proposed that the CD34+FGFR+ cells represent a population of endothelial stem/progenitor cells. They may also represent a population of progenitor cells that are capable of giving rise to other types of lineages including other stromal and epithelial lineages.

Applications
Endothelial stem cells have considerable commercial relevance. They can be used:

1) To target delivery of anti-tumor agents. Endothelial cells are long-lived and the stem cells could be used as vectors for the delivery of angiostatic/anti-tumor agents to the rapidly expanding vascular bed associated with tumors without affecting the stable endothelium of established blood vessels.

2) To coat valves and implant devices used in surgical procedures. This would eliminate many of the clotting problems currently associated with these devices.

3) As vectors for genetic engineering. Genetically engineered stem cells "homing" to the endothelium or connective tissue stroma will be long-lived and could secrete proteins such as adenosine deaminase, clotting factors or other desired products.

4) To repair sites of vascular injury. Engineered stem cells secreting factors such as tissue plasminogen activator, designed to help prevent restenosis after balloon angioplasty would be useful. Endothelial stem cells have been shown to home selectively to sites of vascular damage.

Stem cells capable of giving rise to other lineages such as those of neuronal or epithelial origin would be useful for the treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease or hepatic or lung diseases in the case of epithelial progenitor cells.

Patent Status
Patent applications have been filed in the United States and through the PCT.

For further information please contact
New York University
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