Broken spine could fix itself with drug-boosted stem cells

BROKEN spines could be re-grown using a combination of drugs that put stem cells on “red alert”, scientists at Imperial College London believe.

Researchers discovered that two drugs used for bone marrow transplants and bladder control boost the body’s own repair machinery, releasing stem cells that build new bone.

Scientists believe that using drugs to stimulate the body’s own systems – “regenerative pharmacology” – could be safer and more powerful than traditional treatments.

So far, the team has shown they can grow back damaged spines in rats, and are keen to move to human trials.

Not only could they help replace the spine – something currently impossible – but also speed up how fast broken bones repair.

Prof Sara Rankin, of the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London, said: “We know that when bones break they will heal, and this requires the activation of stem cells in the bone. However, when the damage is severe, there are limits to what the body can do of its own accord.

“We hope that by using existing medications to mobilise stem cells, as we were able to do in rats, we could potentially call up extra numbers of these stem cells, in order to boost our bodies’ own ability to mend itself and accelerate the repair process.”

When a person is injured, bone marrow sends stem cells to repair and regenerate tissue but there is a limit to how many are produced and what they can do. The two treatments used in the research were a CXCR4 antagonist, used during bone marrow transplants, and a beta-3 adrenergic agonist, used for bladder control.

When mixed, the cocktail puts the bone marrow into a state of “red alert” so that it produces a glut of mesenchymal stem cells, a type of adult stem cell that can turn into bone, and help repair bone fractures.

Because the drugs are already in use, scientists can skip safety trials and move straight to testing whether they have the same effect in humans. After only a two-month trial, they believe they could move to full clinical trials.

As well as mending bones, it may help heart regeneration and the British Heart Foundation is investigating whether the cocktail could help repair organs after a heart attack.

Dr Tariq Fellous, the study’s first author from NHLI, said: “We have the drugs and know they are safe to use in humans – we just need the funding for human trials.” The research was published in Regenerative Medicine.

‘We could potentially call up extra numbers of stem cells, in order to boost our bodies’ ability to mend itself ’