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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution PARKINSON'S DISEASE: Possible 'cure' in political arena Paul Recer - Staff Sunday, February 18, 2001 San Francisco --- Scientists may be on the brink of curing Parkinson's disease using transplanted embryonic stem cells, but where and when that new treatment is tested in humans depends on unresolved political decisions, researchers suggested Friday. Dr. Ole Isacson of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Ronald McKay of the National Institutes of Health said Friday they have both "cured" Parkinson's in mice and rats, using stem cells from embryos of laboratory animals. In a report at the national meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Isacson said mouse and rat embryonic cells, after careful processing, can be grafted into the animals' brains, where they are converted into replacements for cells killed by Parkinson's. "In mouse models (laboratory tests) these cells have restored function," said Isacson. Using a different technique, McKay said his NIH lab also has also prompted mouse embryonic stem cells to convert into cells lacking in Parkinson's. McKay and Isacson said researchers are almost ready to test the technique in humans, but social and political issues must be resolved in the United States before that step can be taken in this country. At the same time, McKay said it may happen soon in Britain, France or the Netherlands, as those countries are adopting policies to advance embryonic stem cell research. In the United States, some groups, including some members of Congress, oppose the use of embryonic stem cells in research because gathering the cells requires the death of a human embryo. New NIH guidelines permit federal funding of such stem cell research, but only if the cells are extracted from embryos in labs not receiving federal funding. Tommy Thompson, secretary of health and human services, the agency that oversees NIH, said he is reviewing the policy on embryonic stem cell research. More than 1 million Americans have been diagnosed with Parkinson's, a disease caused by the death of brain cells that produce dopamine, a key nerve chemical. When patients lose 80 percent of these cells, they develop classic Parkinson's symptoms: tremors and rigidity. Limited experiments using brain cells from aborted fetuses have stabilized patients for up to 12 years, Isacson said. The transplanted cells convert to cells that produce dopamine, replacing those lacking in patients with Parkinson's. But using tissue from aborted fetuses in research also is opposed by many groups. And because of limited availability and for technical reasons, fetal tissue is not considered ideal for treating Parkinson's. The best hope, said the researchers, lies in the embryonic stem cells, master cells that can be coaxed to transform into virtually any type of tissue in the body. Such cells can be grown in great numbers, making them readily available for treating thousands of patients, the researchers said. ON THE WEB: NIH stem cells: http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/index.htm Parkinson's Disease Association: http://www.apdaparkinson.org http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/today/news_a3f857c8b39b816f009c.html ******************