Is Alzheimer’s disease transmitted through stem cell transplants?

Studies in preclinical models suggest a familial possibility. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be transmitted through bone marrow transplants, but researchers and outside experts warn against jumping to humans too soon.

Researchers found that adoptive transfer of donor bone marrow stem cells carrying a mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgene into both APP-deficient and healthy wild-type mice rapidly reversed the pathological hallmarks of AD. observed to occur.

These pathological features include decreased blood-brain barrier integrity, increased cerebral angiogenesis, increased brain-associated beta-amyloid levels, and cognitive impairment.

Furthermore, symptoms of cognitive decline appeared rapidly. It took 6 months post-transplant for APP knockout mice, 9 months for wild-type mice, and 12 months for AD transgenic mice shown so far.

“Contrary to the common belief that Alzheimer’s disease occurs only in familial or sporadic cases, our study reveals an unexpected, transplantable form of Alzheimer’s disease in preclinical models and suggests that it may be iatrogenic in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. “This suggests the possibility of transmission,” said the researchers, led by Wilfred Jeffreys, BSc, Ph.D. write.

While this is probably a “rare” occurrence, it is still “alarming,” Jeffries said. Medscape Medical Newsand it suggests that “human donors of blood, tissue, organs, and stem cells should be screened to prevent inadvertent transfer of disease during blood product transfusions and cell therapy.”

the study Published March 28th stem cell report.

Interesting but limited relevance to humans

Researchers say this study also demonstrates that beta-amyloid accumulation originating from outside the central nervous system contributes to Alzheimer’s disease pathology, providing an opportunity for the development of new biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. He points out.

Several experts commented on the study. statement The award is from the UK-based, not-for-profit, independent Science Media Center (SMC).

David Curtis, MBBS, MD, of the Institute of Genetics at University College London, UK, said the study shows that “theoretically, stem cell transplants from people with severe familial conditions could prevent Alzheimer’s disease. This suggests that there may be a risk of developing the disease. “This form of the disease is very rare, but because this form is so rare, the risk actually seems to be low, and there are many safety measures when it comes to stem cell transplants. Therefore, we do not believe the risks extend to other areas such as organ transplants or blood transfusions, which do not involve large numbers of stem cells that may go on to form glial cells. ”

Dr Paul Morgan, from Cardiff University’s UK Dementia Institute Cardiff, said the study was significant in demonstrating that bone marrow cells are sufficient to transmit genes and disease in this “very specific experimental situation”. It’s scientifically interesting.” There are limits to organ and cell transplantation. ”

Morgan warned against taking “the monumental leap of claiming that tissue, organ, cell transplants, and even blood transfusions, risk transmitting Alzheimer’s disease and other neuropathologies to humans.”

Bart de Strooper, MD, of University College London, agreed. “There is insufficient evidence to suggest that people receiving bone marrow transplants are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as a result of the procedure, and no one should refuse a transplant for this reason,” he said in an SMC release. Stated.

This study received no specific funding. The authors own shares in Cava Healthcare, a start-up company that owns intellectual property related to these discoveries. It had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of data, or writing of the paper. Morgan, De Strooper and Curtis have no relevant disclosures.