A new human somatic stem cell from placental cord blood with intrinsic pluripotent differentiation potential.

Here a new, intrinsically pluripotent, CD45-negative population from human cord blood, termed unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) is described. This rare population grows adherently and can be expanded to 10(15) cells without losing pluripotency. In vitro USSCs showed homogeneous differentiation into osteoblasts, chondroblasts, adipocytes, and hematopoietic and neural cells including astrocytes and neurons that express neurofilament, sodium channel protein, and various neurotransmitter phenotypes. Stereotactic implantation of USSCs into intact adult rat brain revealed that human Tau-positive cells persisted for up to 3 mo and showed migratory activity and a typical neuron-like morphology. In vivo differentiation of USSCs along mesodermal and endodermal pathways was demonstrated in animal models. Bony reconstitution was observed after transplantation of USSC-loaded calcium phosphate cylinders in nude rat femurs. Chondrogenesis occurred after transplanting cell-loaded gelfoam sponges into nude mice. Transplantation of USSCs in a noninjury model, the preimmune fetal sheep, resulted in up to 5% human hematopoietic engraftment. More than 20% albumin-producing human parenchymal hepatic cells with absence of cell fusion and substantial numbers of human cardiomyocytes in both atria and ventricles of the sheep heart were detected many months after USSC transplantation. No tumor formation was observed in any of these animals.

Unrestricted somatic stem cells from human umbilical cord blood can be differentiated into neurons with a dopaminergic phenotype.

Recently, it has been shown that human unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) from umbilical cord blood represent pluripotent, neonatal, nonhematopoietic stem cells with the potential to differentiate into the neural lineage. However, molecular and functional characterization of the neural phenotype and evaluation of the degree of maturity of the resulting cells are still lacking. In this study, we addressed the question of neuronal differentiation and maturation induced by a defined composition of growth and differentiation factors (XXL medium). We demonstrated the expression of different neuronal markers and their enrichment in USSC cultures during XXL medium incubation. Furthermore, we showed enrichment of USSCs expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), an enzyme specific for dopaminergic neurons and other catecholamine-producing neurons, accompanied by induction of Nurr1, a factor regulating dopaminergic neurogenesis. The functionality of USSCs has been analyzed by patch-clamp recordings and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Voltage-gated sodium-channels could be identified in laminin-predifferentiated USSCs. In addition, HPLC analysis revealed synthesis and release of the neurotransmitter dopamine by USSC-derived cells, thus correlating well with the detection of TH transcripts and protein. This study provides novel insight into the potential of unrestricted somatic stem cells from human umbilical cord blood to acquire a neuronal phenotype and function.

BAY 87-2243, a highly potent and selective inhibitor of hypoxia-induced gene activation has antitumor activities by inhibition of mitochondrial complex I.

The activation of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) plays an essential role in tumor development, tumor progression, and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. In order to identify compounds targeting the HIF pathway, a small molecule library was screened using a luciferase-driven HIF-1 reporter cell line under hypoxia. The high-throughput screening led to the identification of a class of aminoalkyl-substituted compounds that inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF-1 target gene expression in human lung cancer cell lines at low nanomolar concentrations. Lead structure BAY 87-2243 was found to inhibit HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein accumulation under hypoxic conditions in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line H460 but had no effect on HIF-1α protein levels induced by the hypoxia mimetics desferrioxamine or cobalt chloride. BAY 87-2243 had no effect on HIF target gene expression levels in RCC4 cells lacking Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) activity nor did the compound affect the activity of HIF prolyl hydroxylase-2. Antitumor activity of BAY 87-2243, suppression of HIF-1α protein levels, and reduction of HIF-1 target gene expression in vivo were demonstrated in a H460 xenograft model. BAY 87-2243 did not inhibit cell proliferation under standard conditions. However under glucose depletion, a condition favoring mitochondrial ATP generation as energy source, BAY 87-2243 inhibited cell proliferation in the nanomolar range. Further experiments revealed that BAY 87-2243 inhibits mitochondrial complex I activity but has no effect on complex III activity. Interference with mitochondrial function to reduce hypoxia-induced HIF-1 activity in tumors might be an interesting therapeutic approach to overcome chemo- and radiotherapy-resistance of hypoxic tumors.

Volume to dissolve applied dose (VDAD) and apparent dissolution rate (ADR): tools to predict in vivo bioavailability from orally applied drug suspensions.

Low solubility of drug candidates generated in research contributes to their elimination during subsequent development due to insufficient oral bioavailability (BA) of crystalline compound. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to identify critical in vitro solubility and dissolution parameter that would predict critical in vivo dissolution by means of in vitro-in vivo correlation. Thermodynamic solubility and apparent dissolution rate (ADR) were determined using the shake-flask method and mini-flow-through-cell, respectively. Oral BA studies in rats and humans were conducted from drug solution and suspension/tablets. Relative BA was calculated using F(rel) [%]=AUC(suspension)/AUC(solution)*100, representing a measure of in vivo dissolution. Roughly, F(rel) rat >50% translates into F(rel) human of >90%. Both, ADR and log volume to dissolve applied dose (VDAD), when plotted against F(rel) rat, revealed certain threshold levels, (ADR, ∼150-200 µg of compound dissolved under respective assay conditions; VDAD, ∼100-500 ml/kg) which translate into F(rel) in rats of >50%. Thus, assuming that F(rel)>50% in rats is indicative of sufficient in vivo dissolution in humans after oral application, drugs should exhibit a VDAD of ∼100-500 ml/kg or less in aqueous media to avoid insufficient or varying drug absorption.