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ShareJan. 31, 2011 — A protein that protects stem cells in the gut relieves a potentially lethal complication of bone marrow transplantation in mice, according to a study published online on January 31 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Bone marrow transplantation can cure diseases such as leukemia but it can also lead to a potentially fatal complication known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
A group led by Takanori Teshima at Kyushu University in Japan found that mice treated with a protein called R-spondin1 developed less severe GVHD after bone marrow transplantation. R-spondin worked by protecting intestinal stem cells, which help to regenerate damaged tissues and thus dampen inflammation.
Whether R-spondin1 is therapeutic for human bone marrow transplant patients remains to be explored.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rockefeller University Press, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- S. Takashima, M. Kadowaki, K. Aoyama, M. Koyama, T. Oshima, K. Tomizuka, K. Akashi, T. Teshima. The Wnt agonist R-spondin1 regulates systemic graft-versus-host disease by protecting intestinal stem cells. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2011; 208 (2): 285 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20101559
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
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