Study Identifies New Source of Stem Cells

Montreal, August 13, 2001.  A new study from the Montreal
Neurological Institute (MNI) of McGill University has identified
a non-controversial source of stem cells that can produce a
number of different cell types, including the type of neural cells
needed to potentially help patients recover from a spinal cord
injury or Parkinson's disease.

These findings are published today on-line in the highly cited
scientific journal Nature Cell Biology in an article entitled
"Isolation of Multipotent Adult Stem Cells from the Dermis
of Mammalian Skin" by J.G. Toma, M. Akhavan,
K.J.L. Fernandes, F. Barnabé-Heider, A. Sadikot,
D.R. Kaplan, and F.D. Miller.

The paper can be viewed on line at
http://www.nature.com/ncb/future_issues/

Dr. Freda Miller and colleagues at the Centre for Neuronal
Survival and the Brain Tumour Research Centre at the
Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, have
isolated stem cells from the dermis of adult rodents that will
proliferate and differentiate in culture to produce very
different cell types- neurons, glia, smooth muscle cells,
and fat cells.  These novel stem cells, SKPs, were isolated
from the skin of juvenile and adult rodents- an accessible
non-embryonic source.  Human studies have indicated that
similar cells are present in adult human skin.  "We believe
our discovery is important as we have identified an exciting
new stem cell from a non-controversial source that holds
considerable promise for scientific and therapeutic research,"
says Dr. Freda Miller.

The work conducted at the MNI has led Dr. Miller and her
colleagues to offer a new account of stem cells present in
the adult.  "SKPs represent a novel multipotent stem cell
less biased than other adult stem cells- they have the
ability to differentiate into diverse cell types of different
embryonic lineage and can be cultured for one year without
losing this ability," explains Dr. Miller. "This is extremely
significant as rather than being programmed to generate
only skin cells, SKPs can be directed to become neurons
or neuronal support cells or even muscle cells- depending
on what is needed.  Importantly, SKPs also represent
a potentially autologous (i.e. originating from within the
same individual) stem cell source that can generate neural
cell types damaged in spinal cord injury or Parkinson's
disease.  This means that complications seen in donor
transplantations are avoided as the patient's own cells
are being transplanted."  The MNI researchers expect that
the new findings will contribute to our understanding
of the impressive versatility of stem cells and offer
a potential solution to individuals with Parkinson's
disease and other neural disorders.

Funding for this research was made possible by the
generous support of Aegera Therapeutics Inc. and the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Dr. Miller is a Senior Investigator of the CIHR
and a member of The Stem Cell Network,
a new component of the Canadian Networks
of Centres of Excellence.

The Montreal Neurological Institute is a McGill University
research and teaching institute, dedicated to the study
of the nervous system and neurological diseases.
It is one of the world's largest institutes of its kind;
MNI researchers are world leaders in biotechnology,
brain imaging, cognitive neuroscience and the study
and treatment of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and
neuromuscular disorders.

Freda Miller is a cell and molecular biologist at the
Montreal Neurological Institute and a Professor
of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University.

Dr. Miller has authored more than 70 scientific papers,
reviews and book chapters and has 11 patents
(issued and pending).  Dr. Miller is best known
for her studies of neuronal growth, survival
and apoptosis.

Major findings from her lab have provided evidence
that that the p75 neurotrophin receptor is apoptotic
in neurons (The Journal of Cell Biology 140, 911-923, 1998),
and that a p53 family member, truncated p73,
plays an essential anti-apoptotic role in the peripheral
and central nervous system (Science 289, 304-306, 2000).

Dr. Miller has also patented two important systems
for studying protein function in neurons.  Her laboratory
has developed a method for infecting neurons with
recombinant adenoviruses that modulate apoptosis
and growth to study critical neuronal signalling pathways.

In addition, Dr. Miller has created expression vectors
for the study of gene expression in neurons.

Dr. Miller is a Senior Investigator of the Canadian Institutes
of Health Research.  She obtained her PhD in Medical Sciences
from the University of Calgary in 1984 and completed her
Postdoctoral research at the Scripps Research Foundation
with Drs. F.E. Bloom and R.J. Milner.

Dr. Miller is a founder of Aegera Therapeutics Inc.

For further information or to interview Dr. Miller, please contact:
Sandra McPherson, PhD
Montreal Neurological Institute
McGill University
Montreal, QC Canada
(514)-398-1902 (tel)
(514)-398-8072 (fax)
[log in to unmask]

http://www.mni.mcgill.ca
http://www.mcgill.ca

Aegera Therapeutics Inc. is a privately held biotechnology
company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. In addition
to the company's stem cell focus, Aegera is developing
small molecules that modulate signal transduction pathways
to treat central and peripheral nerve diseases, and to restore
normal cell-death mechanisms in cancer by inducing apoptosis
(programmed cell death).

For  more information visit http://www.aegera.com

The Stem Cell Network is a new network of biologists,
social scientists, engineers, and clinicians funded under
the Industry Canada Networks of Centres of Excellence
program.  The aim of the Stem Cell Network is to develop
an understanding of the biology of adult and embryonic
stem cells, study the ethical issues involved in stem cell
research and development, and apply this knowledge
therapeutically and commercially. For further information
contact Dr. Barbara Beckett at (613) 739-6627
or [log in to unmask]

SOURCE: Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI)
http://www.mni.mcgill.ca/announce/miller1.htm

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