| 1. |
- Antila, Kari, et al.
(författare)
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The PredictAD project : development of novel biomarkers and analysis software for early diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Interface Focus. - : The Royal Society Publishing. - 2042-8898 .- 2042-8901. ; 3:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia affecting 36 million people worldwide. As the demographic transition in the developed countries progresses towards older population, the worsening ratio of workers per retirees and the growing number of patients with age-related illnesses such as AD will challenge the current healthcare systems and national economies. For these reasons AD has been identified as a health priority, and various methods for diagnosis and many candidates for therapies are under intense research. Even though there is currently no cure for AD, its effects can be managed. Today the significance of early and precise diagnosis of AD is emphasized in order to minimize its irreversible effects on the nervous system. When new drugs and therapies enter the market it is also vital to effectively identify the right candidates to benefit from these. The main objective of the PredictAD project was to find and integrate efficient biomarkers from heterogeneous patient data to make early diagnosis and to monitor the progress of AD in a more efficient, reliable and objective manner. The project focused on discovering biomarkers from biomolecular data, electrophysiological measurements of the brain and structural, functional and molecular brain images. We also designed and built a statistical model and a framework for exploiting these biomarkers with other available patient history and background data. We were able to discover several potential novel biomarker candidates and implement the framework in software. The results are currently used in several research projects, licensed to commercial use and being tested for clinical use in several trials.
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| 2. |
- Heiskanen, Annamari, et al.
(författare)
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N-glycolylneuraminic acid xenoantigen contamination of human embryonic and mesenchymal stem cells is substantially reversible.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio). - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1066-5099 .- 1549-4918. ; 25:1, s. 197-202
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human embryonic and mesenchymal stem cell therapies may offer significant benefit to a large number of patients. Recently, however, human embryonic stem cell lines cultured on mouse feeder cells were reported to be contaminated by the xeno-carbohydrate N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) and considered potentially unfit for human therapy. To determine the extent of the problem of Neu5Gc contamination for the development of stem cell therapies, we investigated whether it also occurs in cells cultured on human feeder cells and in mesenchymal stem cells, what are the sources of contamination, and whether the contamination is reversible. We found that N-glycolylneuraminic acid was present in embryonic stem cells cultured on human feeder cells, correlating with the presence of Neu5Gc in components of the commercial serum replacement culture medium. Similar contamination occurred in mesenchymal stem cells cultured in the presence of fetal bovine serum. The results suggest that the Neu5Gc is present in both glycoprotein and lipid-linked glycans, as detected by mass spectrometric analysis and monoclonal antibody staining, respectively. Significantly, the contamination was largely reversible in the progeny of both cell types, suggesting that decontaminated cells may be derived from existing stem cell lines. Although major complications have not been reported in the clinical trials with mesenchymal stem cells exposed to fetal bovine serum, the immunogenic contamination may potentially be reflected in the viability and efficacy of the transplanted cells and thus bias the published results. Definition of safe culture conditions for stem cells is essential for future development of cellular therapies.
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