Health
Stem cell therapy to correct heart failure in children could 'transform lives'
Renowned visionary English physician William Harvey wrote in 1651 about how our blood contains all the secrets of life.
“And so I conclude that blood lives and is nourished of itself and in no way depends on any other part of the body as being prior to it or more excellent,” he wrote. “So that from this we may perceive the causes not only of life in general … but also of longer or shorter life, of sleeping and waking, of skill, of strength and so forth.”
Dr. Kevin Watt, team leader of the Heart Regeneration and Disease Laboratory at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia, understands this concept deeply.
STEM CELL RESEARCH SHOWING NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR TREATING INFANT HEART DISEASE
He lives it every day, as he and his fellow researchers study and reprogram the potential of the blood to treat disease, specifically heart failure in children.
Building on the work of Dr. Shinya Yamanaka of Japan, who discovered that specialized cells could be reprogrammed back to immature stem cells, Watt and his collaborators have taken this work several steps further.
During upcoming clinical trials, “large sheets of heart tissue will be stitched into the failing heart,” said Dr. Kevin Watt, team leader of the Heart Regeneration and Disease Laboratory at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia. (MCRI)
They have used small molecules to turn these new stem cells from the blood into heart cells.
Small heart organoids are developed in the lab — which can then be injected into the failing hearts of children.
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Relying on the philanthropic support of the Murdoch Institute, the work is progressing rapidly and has been shown to be effective already in mice, pigs and sheep.
“The vision of our research is to develop new therapies that can transform the lives of children with heart failure.”
Clinical trials in humans will be starting soon, and as Dr. Watt told me in an interview from Australia, “Large sheets of heart tissue will be stitched into the failing heart.”
Congenital heart failure as well as side effects of chemotherapy in children will be targets for this miracle therapy. Millions of children around the world suffer daily from these conditions.
Researchers at MCRI are studying and reprogramming the potential of the blood to treat disease, specifically heart failure in children. (MCRI)
Watt said that certain chemotherapy (anthracyclines) have a higher risk of heart failure – up to 15% of the time – and this treatment may be useful to protect the heart.
Watt said, “Heart failure remains an urgent, unmet clinical challenge across the world. While we have made significant advances over several decades in managing the disease, we lack targeted therapies to treat these devastating conditions.”
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He added, “More than 500,000 children around the world live with advanced heart failure that requires transplantation. The vision of our research is to develop new therapies that can transform the lives of children with heart failure.”
“More than 500,000 children around the world live with advanced heart failure that requires transplantation. The vision of our research is to develop new therapies that can transform the lives of children with heart failure.” (iStock)
To achieve this, he said, “we use a technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, where we can convert blood or skin cells of patients with heart failure into stem cells that we then turn into heart cells … or even make engineered heart tissues that can be stitched onto the patient’s heart to help it pump.”
The cells that are targeted in the blood are known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
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They are “pushed back in time to an earlier time before they became differentiated into heart or kidney cells,” he said.
Then they can be pushed forward to become healthy heart cells or mutations — or other abnormalities can be corrected.
While the team at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is making heart cells from stem cells in the blood for clinical use, it’s also using these stem cells to figure out new drugs to treat heart failure directly.
The team at MCRI in Melbourne (shown above) is pioneering “methods to turn stem cells into miniature heart tissues.” (MCRI)
Said Watt, “Using stem cells from patients with heart failure caused by chemo, we are actively developing new drugs and cell-based treatments that we believe will transform the lives of patients with these conditions … Our research group has pioneered methods to turn these stem cells into miniature heart tissues that can be used to model disease-in-a-dish, to identify new drug targets for the development of new therapies.”
These treatments are personalized and highly expensive, but they’re also highly effective.
“Using stem cells from patients with heart failure caused by chemo, we are actively developing new drugs and cell-based treatments that we believe will transform the lives of patients with these conditions.” (MCRI)
Correcting heart failure in young children is only a few years away from becoming a reality.
It’s a Christmas miracle that relies on the kind of philanthropic support that MCRI is famous for arranging.
“Philanthropic support plays a critical role in accelerating the development of these new, transformative treatments,” said Watt, “and this support will be essential as we work toward bringing stem cell-based precision therapies for heart failure to every child who needs it.”
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Visit go.fox/MCRI to donate or to learn more about MCRI’s important research.
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Health
Parasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state
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Cases of cyclosporiasis infections are rising across America, with more than 1,000 people diagnosed in Michigan and more than 500 in Ohio.
This is the largest outbreak of its kind in Michigan’s history and one of the country’s largest in years, according to the Associated Press.
The parasitic infection can cause weeks of watery diarrhea. The source of the infections has not been identified and no deaths have been reported.
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Michigan officials announced the outbreak last week following the identification of more than 170 cases since June 22 in the southeastern part of the state. Typically, only about 50 cases are identified in Michigan each year, according to AP.
A cyclospora infection often causes watery, “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says. (iStock)
Similar illnesses have been reported in 28 other states, including neighboring Ohio, where diagnoses have popped up across the Michigan border.
Cases have been climbing since the CDC identified an uptick in infections in mid-June, with illnesses now reported in dozens of states.
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Michigan has now reported more than 1,200 cases and at least 40 hospitalizations. In Ohio, northwest counties have identified more than 500 cases, including at least 306 in Lucas County, according to the latest available local figures.
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Texas has reported at least 48 cases, and illnesses have been identified in numerous other states as health officials investigate the source.
The hallmark symptom of a cyclospora infection is watery, often “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says.
Other symptoms of cyclosporiasis include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss. (iStock)
Other symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss.
The official outbreak season for the parasite runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, a window where warmer temperatures historically coincide with a spike in infections, according to the CDC.
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While the infection can sometimes clear up on its own, it frequently requires antibiotics. The CDC advises anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.
The CDC, alongside the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials, is actively investigating several multistate clusters, but they have yet to find a cause behind the spread.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before eating, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted. (iStock)
Past infections have reportedly been linked to consuming contamined fruits or vegetables, or being exposed to contaminated irrigation water.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before being eaten, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted.
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Michigan officials recommend purchasing salad mixes or whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-washed, bagged lettuce. Remove two to three leaves from the outer layer of the lettuce head before washing and cook vegetables when possible.
Fox News Digital’s Khloe Quill contributed to this report.
Health
Dr Oz links obesity to chronic disease surge, says GLP-1s can ‘jumpstart’ better health
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Washington, DC – GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have become a prevalent part of American healthcare, and the current administration is getting behind the movement.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair in the nation’s capital on July 6, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz voiced his support for the use of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, such as Ozempic, for appropriate uses.
“I’m a fan of GLP-1 drugs when used correctly,” he said. “They do help people who are overweight lose weight quite effectively. They’re not a replacement for diet and exercise, but they might jumpstart the system so it’s easier for you to use healthier tactics.”
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This is especially helpful for those who may have trouble moving due to joint pain or are experiencing internal dysfunction, Oz said.
Certain GLP-1 drugs are covered by Medicare for overweight candidates with certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and Oz projected the benefits will continue to benefit taxpayers.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is pictured in Washington, D.C., at the Great American State Fair, where he spoke about federal health policy. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
“We believe these are so effective in reducing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes that they’ll actually save money for the federal taxpayer, because [they’re] going to make you healthy enough that you don’t have to consume health services,” Oz said.
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“We think about 70% of all the money we spend on healthcare is caused by chronic conditions, and obesity is the No. 1 driver of all that, so it’s a smart decision.”
Oz recently announced the launch of the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, which will allow more seniors to access GLP-1 drugs for only $50 a month if they meet qualifying health criteria and receive prior authorization from a doctor.
The doctor expressed support for broadening affordable access to GLP-1 medications for Americans. (iStock)
“There are a lot of overweight people who don’t have high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions, so they don’t get access to the drug normally,” he said. “We want them to have the ability to use it as well.”
Although these access shifts could boost Americans’ overall health — and in some cases could be lifesaving — Oz noted that there is “no silver bullet” when it comes to these medications.
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“I love the fact that the innovation that’s coming out of pharmaceutical companies is allowing us to save lives and make lives better,” he said. “But the real secret to longevity is eating right, exercising, sleeping, dealing with the stress of your life, finding some purpose in your existence [and] realizing you have agency over the future.”
“These are things that your mom would have told you [and that] you don’t need a doctor to be emphasizing.”
Medicating appropriately, combined with eating right, exercising and staying connected with others, can help make health goals attainable, the doctor said. (iStock)
While GLP-1s may not be a fix-all, combining these medications with foundational health practices “makes a lot of sense,” Oz said.
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“I don’t want people being fat-shamed … I don’t want you feeling guilty that you’re gaining weight even though everyone else around you seems to have figured it out,” he said. “It’s not that simple — our set points for hunger are different. We have different things going on in our lives.”
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“But if you realize how precious you are — the temple of the soul is so valuable. It’s the greatest gift your parents ever gave you, and you take advantage of every tool out there to make it work … which includes using medications when appropriate. That, to me, is MAHA.”
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