使用脐带血干细胞治疗脑麻
脑麻是最常见的儿童残疾，是目前无法预防的病种之一。根据世界卫生组织 (WHO）的估计，脑性麻痺的发生率为千分之二至五，亦即大约每300个新生儿之中，就有一个罹患小儿脑性麻痺症。1.2
麦克唐纳博士的研究团队发现，将脐带血回输到初生 12小时的新生动物中，可避免因出生窒息产生的脑损伤。他在澳洲和纽西兰的周产期年度大会中表示”脐带血干细胞可以中止造成脑损伤的发炎反应，帮助婴儿大脑自我修复和强化血管。另外，韩国的临床试验中也发现，接受脐带血移植的患童，可改进其运动与认知功能。”他指出，使用脐带血治疗脑麻是有希望的。3
Could babies fight cerebral palsy with their own blood?
MELBOURNE researchers have singled out three types of stem cells in the cord blood, as they prepare to trial giving Victorian babies back their own umbilical blood in the hope of preventing cerebral palsy.
Pre-clinical studies at the Ritchie Centre, part of the MIMR-PHI Institute of Medical Research, found that giving cord blood back to newborn animals in their first 12 hours of life, can help prevent brain damage caused by birth asphyxia.
Postdoctoral scientist Courtney McDonald told the Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, they were now working on finding out what factors in cord blood were crucial for brain repair.
Cord blood works, but we want to know what’s the best cord blood to give back,” Dr McDonald said.
These particular cells can actually stop the inflammation which causes damage. They can help the baby’s own brain repair itself, and help these blood vessels become stronger.”
Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood physical disability, with about 700 Australian babies born with the movement disorder each year.
It is usually caused by oxygen deprivation around the time of birth.
Many desperate Australian families are turning to unproven stem cell therapies overseas, as more research centres begin testing its effectiveness.
Human clinical trials in South Korea found improvements in motor skills and cognitive function in children, aged between six months and 10 years, who received donated cord blood as well as other rehabilitation therapies.
The three types of stem cell being looked at by the Ritchie Centre are Mesenchymal stem cells that repair damaged nervous tissue in the brain, T-regulatory cells which have anti-inflammatory properties, and Endothelial Progenitor cells, which encourage blood flow to the injured area.
Dr McDonald said her team had taken cord blood from lambs and successfully isolated the stem cells, before injecting them back into the animals 12 hours after the injury.
The results of this study will inform a national human clinical trial, to be led by Professor Euan Wallace and Associate Professor Michael Fahey, giving cord blood to babies in the first few days after birth who are at risk of cerebral palsy.
The results that are coming out of our studies and the clinical trials overseas are so promising. It’s going to happen. It has so much potential,” she said.
资料来源：1. http://www.nhi.gov.tw/resource/MonthEbook/109/InternetVersion/files/assets/basic-html/page36.html
2. http://www.trunson.org.tw/p9-4.htm
编辑整理：干细胞论坛部落格