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The role of regenerative medicine for some chronic illnesses in Nigeria

By David Ikudayisi
10 May 2023   |   4:00 am
Regenerative medicine is a promising field that aims to restore the function of damaged or diseased tissues and organs by using stem cells, biomaterials, gene therapy, and other techniques.

Ikudayisi

Regenerative medicine is a promising field that aims to restore the function of damaged or diseased tissues and organs by using stem cells, biomaterials, gene therapy, and other techniques.

Cancer
Regenerative medicine has the potential to play a significant role in the treatment of cancer, particularly in the areas of cancer immunotherapy and tissue engineering.

Cancer Immunotherapy
Regenerative medicine approaches such as CAR-T cell therapy, dendritic cell-based vaccines, and checkpoint inhibitors are being developed to activate the body’s immune system against cancer cells. These treatments involve modifying immune cells to recognise and attack cancer cells, leading to improved outcomes in some cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma.

Tissue Engineering
Regenerative medicine techniques such as tissue engineering and organoid technology can be used to generate functional tissues that can be used for drug testing and personalized medicine. Organoids are three-dimensional cultures of cells that can mimic the structure and function of organs in the human body, allowing for the study of cancer biology and drug response in a more realistic environment.

Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy is another regenerative medicine approach that has the potential to treat cancer. Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into various cell types, and some studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells can suppress the growth of cancer cells and enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Biomaterials
Biomaterials, such as hydrogels, have been developed as carriers for drug delivery to target cancer cells specifically, reducing toxicity and increasing efficacy of the drug.

Ongoing research is focused on further understanding the mechanisms of cancer and developing more targeted and effective treatments.

Hypertension
Regenerative medicine is applicable to the treatment of hypertension, which is a chronic medical condition characterized by persistently high blood pressure. While hypertension is usually managed with medications, lifestyle changes, and other interventions, regenerative medicine may offer alternative approaches to treat the condition.

Stem cell therapy is a promising approach to treat hypertension by repairing damaged blood vessels and improving blood flow. Studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells can improve hypertension by reducing inflammation and promoting blood vessel repair.

Tissue engineering techniques can be used to create functional blood vessels that can replace or supplement the damaged vessels in hypertensive patients. These artificial vessels can be created using patient-derived cells and biomaterials and implanted into the body to restore proper blood flow.

Gene therapy is another regenerative medicine approach being studied to treat hypertension. The therapy involves delivering a functional copy of a faulty gene to cells in the body, correcting the underlying genetic defect that causes the condition.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves using a patient’s own blood plasma, which contains high concentrations of platelets and growth factors, to stimulate tissue repair and regeneration. PRP has been used for various medical applications, such as wound healing, tissue regeneration, and cosmetic enhancement. Recently, some studies have suggested that PRP may also have a beneficial effect on hypertension and it is being studied as a potential treatment for hypertension, as it may help repair blood vessel damage and promote blood flow.

Overall, regenerative medicine approaches to treat hypertension are still in the early stages of research and development. However, these approaches have the potential to offer new treatment options for patients with hypertension, potentially reducing their reliance on medication and improving their overall health outcomes.

But where an individual’s hypertensive condition is strongly linked to an unhealthy lifestyle as a causative and/ or perpetuating factor, it is essential that such an unhealthy lifestyle be corrected rather than looking to regenerative medicine as a magical solution in the absence of the required lifestyle change.

Diabetes mellitus
Regenerative medicine is also very relevant to the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Diabetes mellitus can be classified into two main types: type 1 and type 2.

Both types of diabetes mellitus can cause serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and blindness.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency and high blood sugar. (Autoimmune means the body orchestrates its own destruction through the immune system).

Regenerative medicine offers different strategies to treat diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 respectively.

For type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, regenerative medicine aims to replace the lost beta cells by transplanting stem cell-derived beta cells, encapsulating beta cells in biomaterials that protect them from immune attack, or stimulating the regeneration of the beta cells in the body by gene therapy or small molecules.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) harbour differentiation potential, immunosuppressive properties, and anti-inflammatory effects, and they are considered an ideal candidate cell type for treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Mesenchymal stem cells can help reduce beta cell destruction and retain beta cell function. Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to modulate the immune system to prevent it from attacking beta cells by mistake, as well as repair already damaged beta cells.

In context of type 1 Diabetes, Mesenchymal Stem Cells can: transdifferentiate into insulin-producing cells; support the regeneration of residual B cells by production of trophic and growth factors; and participate in the suppression of the autoimmune reaction against B cells.

Insulin resistance causes type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and impaired function of the pancreas cells, which produce insulin, which are known as the beta cells. This results in “relative insulin deficiency” and high blood sugar.

For type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, regenerative medicine aims to improve the function of existing beta cells by enhancing their insulin secretion, survival, and proliferation, or by modulating their microenvironment with biomaterials or gene therapy.

Regenerative medicine also seeks to target other tissues involved in glucose metabolism, such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue, by using stem cells or gene therapy to improve their insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake.

Islet Cell Transplantation: Islet cell transplantation involves transplanting insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas into a patient with type 1 diabetes. Researchers are investigating ways to improve the success rate of islet cell transplantation, including using encapsulation methods to protect the transplanted cells from the immune system.

Gene therapy is being investigated as a way to improve insulin sensitivity in the body. Researchers are exploring ways to deliver genes that can enhance insulin sensitivity, such as the adiponectin gene.

Tissue engineering approaches are being studied to create functional pancreatic tissues that can be transplanted into patients with type 2 diabetes. These tissues can secrete insulin and improve glucose control in the body.

These approaches offer new hope for patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

•Ikudayisi is the Medical Director of Glory Wellness & Regenerative Centre in Lekki, Lagos.

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