Human adipose tissue derived pericytes increase life span in Utrn (tm1Ked) Dmd (mdx) /J mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is still an untreatable lethal X-linked disorder, which affects 1 in 3500 male births. It is caused by the absence of muscle dystrophin due to mutations in the dystrophin gene. The potential regenerative capacity as well as immune privileged properties of mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) has been under investigation for many years in an attempt to treat DMD. One of the questions to be addressed is whether stem cells from distinct sources have comparable clinical effects when injected in murine or canine muscular dystrophy animal models. Many studies comparing different stem cells from various sources were reported but these cells were obtained from different donors and thus with different genetic backgrounds. Here we investigated whether human pericytes obtained from 4 different tissues (muscle, adipose tissue, fallopian tube and endometrium) from the same donor have a similar clinical impact when injected in double mutant Utrn (tm1Ked) Dmd (mdx) /J mice, a clinically relevant model for DMD. After a weekly regimen of intraperitoneal injections of 10(6) cells per 8 weeks we evaluated the motor ability as well as the life span of the treated mice as compared to controls. Our experiment showed that only adipose tissue derived pericytes are able to increase significantly (39 days on average) the life span of affected mice. Microarray analysis showed an inhibition of the interferon pathway by adipose derived pericytes. Our results suggest that the clinical benefit associated with intraperitoneal injections of these adult stem cells is related to immune modulation rather than tissue regeneration.

Transdermal estrogen therapy effects on fibrinogen levels in women with a past history of venous thromboembolism: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate thromboelastographic parameters and fibrinogen levels in women treated with transdermal 17beta estradiol. METHODS: 29 menopausal women with a history of venous thromboembolic disease were included. Nine patients composed the treatment (HT) group and 20 the control group. Coagulation was assessed by thromboelastography in samples of whole blood and platelet-poor plasma (PPP). The following thromboelastographic variables were measured: time for initial coagulation (R), blood clotting speed (K and the alpha angle), clot tensile strength (MA and G), global index of coagulation (CI) and fibrinolysis (LY30) and fibrinogen levels. RESULTS: There were no differences in the other parameters comparing both groups. Fibrinogen levels showed a 13.77 +/- 19.94% reduction in the HT group and a 5.51 +/- 8.09% increase in the control group after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that transdermal estrogen may not increase blood coagulability, but that it reduces fibrinogen levels in HT women.