HUMAN WHARTON'S JELLY STEM CELLS AND/OR ITS EXTRACT FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES AND BLOOD DISORDERS

Abstract

THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT OF HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES INVOLVED THE USE OF CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS, IRRADIATION AND UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS (HSCS) TRANSPLANTATION. THERE ARE 2 CHALLENGES WITH THESE METHODS OF TREATMENTS. FIRSTLY, THE USE OF AGGRESSIVE CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS OR RADIATION-CONDITIONING REGIMES PRIOR TO HSCS TRANSPLANTATION OFTEN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BONE MARROW MICROENVIRONMENT AND HAVE A PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON HSCS ENGRAFTMENT KINETICS AND THE OUTCOME OF PATIENT TREATMENT. SECONDLY, THE NUMBER OF HSCS FOUND IN CORD BLOOD IS LOW AND THUS IT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR THEIR USE IN ADULTS. A PRIMITIVE STEM CELL THAT HAS BEEN ISOLATED FROM THE WHARTON'S JELLY OF THE HUMAN UMBILICAL CORD (HWJSCS) HAVE UNIQUE TUMORICIDAL PROPERTY ON SOLID TUMOR CANCER CELLS AND COULD ALSO PROVIDE THE STRUCTURAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR SELF RENEWAL, EXPANSION AND HOMING OF HSCS. THIS THESIS EVALUATED THE USE OF HWJSCS OR ITS EXTRACT AS AN ALTERNATIVE ANTI-TUMORIGENIC AG