The Japanese have learned to be transplanted donor stem cells

Japanese biologists have developed a technique of transplantation induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from a donor that does not require the use of immunosuppressive drugs. The results are presented in Stem Cells Reports.

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iSC) are a result of reprogramming of somatic, reproductive or pluripotent stem cells in. The latter may develop in the cells of other organs and tissues. As they are self-renewing transplanted biological material, such as patients with lymphoma or leukemia. The difficulty in applying this therapy is that iSC be reprogrammed from the patient's own cells, and a natural rate. The procedure is expensive and lengthy: the operation waiting time exceeds one year.

The need to use a patient's own cells is due to rejection iSC, reprogrammed cells from the donor. In such cases, in order to suppress the immune response to the transplanted biological material used immunosuppressive therapy. In the new study, researchers tested an alternative method of selection of donor iPSC (iPS) - on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHC is a vast region of the genome, which is involved in coordinating the actions of various cells of the immune system. In the case of the human MHC corresponds to human leukocyte antigen (HLA).

In the experiment, the researchers used a database of iPSC stem cells, reprogrammed cells from some monkey and transplanted into another. Subsequently were transplanted iPSC settle down not only but also to differentiate into retinal pigment epithelial cells eye. The results showed that in the case of MHC matching of the donor and the patient within six months of the stem cells are not rejected. Thus, T cell immunity did not react to the transplanted biological material. In turn, when MHC mismatch was quick rejection.

At the second stage the authors repeated the experiment on the culture of human cells ex vivo. The results were comparable. According to Dr. Sunao Sugita, further studies will clarify and, probably, to fix the data.


"To iPSC-transplant entered the medical practice, we need to create banks iPSC, reprogrammed cells from someone you like, which can be transplanted to anyone. However, the immune response and rejection are still to this trend a big problem, "- said the scientist.