This does not surprise me at all. However, nobody is preventing a second 
transplantation  of cells after about 10 or 15 years. I wonder if they tried 
this idea!
R. Rajaraman
*****************
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 12:20 AM
Subject: Parkinson Transplants Survive At Least 16 Years


> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080412112931.htm
>
> Parkinson Transplants Survive At Least 16 Years
>
> ScienceDaily (Apr. 12, 2008) — Transplanted cells to help patients
> with Parkinson's disease can survive in the brain for over one and
> half decades. However, some of the transplanted cells developed
> Parkinson-like features which is very surprising. These are the main
> findings of a study on grafting of new neurons to the brain in
> patients with Parkinson's disease. The study, headed by a team of
> researchers from Lund University in collaboration with London
> scientists, has been published in a recent issue of Nature Medicine.
>
> 'Previous studies have shown that transplanted dopamine cells can
> clearly improve speed of movement, reduce rigidity and the need for
> medication for at least a decade', says Jia-Yi Li, Associate Professor
> of Neurobiology, Neuronal Survival Unit at Lund University. 'We now
> see that they also are alive in large numbers, which is very exciting.'
>
> However, in addition to the long-term survival of transplanted
> neurons, the scientists also found that Parkinson's disease changes
> may appear inside a graft. This suggests that the disease mechanism is
> able to transfer gradually from a sick to a healthy cell in the brain.
>
> 'Our results suggest that key features of Parkinson's disease
> pathology slowly transfer from the patient's brains to the healthy
> nerve cells in the transplant', says Patrik Brundin, Professor of
> Neuroscience and Head of the Neuronal Survival Unit at Lund University.
>
> 'We still do not know the precise cellular mechanisms, but the
> findings open up new exciting lines of research. If we can crack the
> mechanism, we may be able to devise treatments that prevent or slow
> disease progression in the future.'
>
> The research group at Lund University and Lund University Hospital has
> earlier shown that the transplanted cells are functional for a decade.
> The new findings, that extend the survival time even further, mean
> that cell therapy is still a viable possibility.
>
> 'Although we have now found that the grafted cells may be affected by
> the disease, the pathological changes appear late. In my view
> transplantation of dopamine cells, probably generated from stem cells,
> therefore remains a promising and important novel strategy for the
> treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease', says Olle Lindvall,
> Professor of Neurology at Lund University Hospital.
>
> Journal reference:  Lewy bodies in grafted neurons in subjects with
> Parkinson's disease suggest host-to-graft disease propagation, Nature
> Medicine. Published online: 6 April 2008 | doi:10.1038/nm1746
>
> Adapted from materials provided by Lund University, via AlphaGalileo.
>
>
>
>
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