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Stem cells help newborn rats survive sepsis
May 25, 2017
Dr.
Bernard Thébaud
and his team have shown for the first time that stem cells taken from human umbilical cords can help newborn rats survive sepsis. This condition kills half a million babies worldwide every year, and occurs when the immune system overreacts to an infection and attacks the organs.
“Caring for a newborn with severe sepsis is heartbreaking,” said Dr. Thébaud, neonatologist and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and CHEO, and professor at the University of Ottawa. “Current treatments are limited, and antibiotic resistance makes it even more difficult to treat. These babies desperately need new therapies, and that’s where stem cells might help.”
When Dr. Thébaud’s team used mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to treat newborn rats with sepsis, 80 percent of the rats survived, compared to 50 percent in the control group. The treatment also reduced the number of harmful bacteria living in the rats.
The study was published in
Stem Cells and Development
.
Dr. Thebaud and his team recently received
funding
to conduct research necessary to prepare for the first clinical trial of MSCs in newborns. While this trial will focus on healing a certain kind of lung damage, the findings may also be applicable to sepsis and other complications.
Co-authors:
Zhu, Yueniu; Xu, Liqun; Collins, Jennifer; Vadivel, Arul; Cyr-Depauw, Chanèle; Zhong, Shumei; Mense, Lars; A Möbius, Marius; Thébaud, Bernard
Funders:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Thoracic Society, Stem Cell Network, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
Media Contact
Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca