Can you hear me now? Scientists find previously unknown receptors on adult stem cells

For many years, researchers believed that stem cells in the bone marrow spent most of their existence in a slumber-like state, unaware of -- and unaffected by -- the daily battles fought by the body's immune system.

Not so.

Scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have discovered that marrow stem cells -- undifferentiated cells that eventually give rise to the blood cells that fight infection -- possess receptors that recognize bacteria and viruses. When activated, these receptors kick the stem cells and immature blood cells into action, enlisting them to help fight whatever pathogen is attacking the body.

The findings, which appear in the June issue of the journal Immunity, could have important implications for treating leukemias and autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

"We have long known that so-called hematopoietic (blood) stem cells create the blood cells that are the front-line soldiers in the body's immune system," said Paul Kincade, Ph.D., the senior author on the paper. "But we did not believe that infectious agents played an active role in the process."

"What we have now discovered is that these stem cells have a sort of antennae that detect bacteria and viruses," continued the OMRF researcher. "And when stem cells receive these distress signals, they spring to action, creating cells the body most needs early in life-threatening situations."

This messaging system normally serves as an effective means of quickly replacing cells that are damaged or killed while keeping us healthy. But investigators suspect that the system also can be detrimental in certaincircumstances -- for example, in leukemia patients that are vulnerable toinfections after receiving bone marrow or cord blood transplants or inautoimmune diseases like lupus, where immunosuppressive treatments oftenleave the body subject to long-term infection.

Scientists need tostudy stem cells and leukemia cells in these diseases to determine if theyare using this messaging system," said Kincade.

Another key, he said, will be to figure out how best to control the receptors in stem cells. "It may be possible to boost immunity when necessary and also shut down inappropriate responses. That could provide a powerful tool to fight cancer, lupus and many other diseases."

Source : Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation