It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Tuesday, August 03, 2021
Harmful algal blooms jeopardize health of reptiles, songbirds
UToledo study identifies the inconsistent response of wildlife to harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes region
IMAGE: DR. JEANINE REFSNIDER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT UTOLEDO, LED THE STUDY THAT IDENTIFIED THE INCONSISTENT RESPONSE OF WILDLIFE TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION.view more
CREDIT: DANIEL MILLER, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO
Toxic algal blooms in the Great Lakes region cause mixed reactions in wildlife, from higher stress levels to weaker immune systems.
“We looked at four different species and found four different results,” said Dr. Jeanine Refsnider, an associate professor of environmental sciences at The University of Toledo. “Although we are making substantial inroads toward understanding how microcystin affects human health, less is known about effects of microcystin on wildlife exposed to harmful algal blooms.”
The UToledo research published in the journal Science of the Total Environment finds that physiological stress levels were higher in songbirds and snakes, and immune function was higher in snakes but lower in turtles, impacting their ability to fight off pathogens.
“While harmful algal blooms aren’t directly causing exposed wildlife to die, the research suggests they are causing reptiles and birds to have generally worse health, putting their system at a disadvantage,” Refsnider said. “The reptiles and birds are ramping up their response which can be harmful if you have a constantly elevated stress level in your body.
“In humans, if you have chronically high stress, you have distressed immune system. The indirect effects that stress has on other functions can be negative, such as lower reproductive output and population decline.”
The research team, which included UToledo undergraduate students who are co-authors on the study, collected blood samples from two bird species and two reptile species in two locations: around Lake Erie wetlands before algal bloom season begins and Grand Lake St. Marys during algal bloom season.
The wildlife included in the study are barn swallows, red-winged blackbirds, Northern watersnakes and painted turtles.
Brittany Holliker, who graduated from UToledo in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, worked in the lab staining blood from watersnakes and tadpoles and analyzed them with a microscope to identify and record numbers of white blood cells.
“It is incredible that my undergraduate research is now part of a published study that can be used for wildlife conservation,” said Holliker, who worked as an avian field technician in Mississippi after graduating from UToledo and is moving to Kansas to be a scaled quail field technician. “My experience at UT definitely helped me launch my career in wildlife biology by giving me the opportunity to become involved in interesting scientific research and by giving me knowledgeable professors who helped prepare me for the science field.”
While the study found that turtles had weaker immune systems, snakes in the algal bloom site had stronger immune systems and birds showed no difference in immune function.
“Snakes are putting more energy into their immune system to fight off infection, but the extra immune energy has to come from somewhere else — maybe they’re skinnier or maybe not reproducing quite as much,” Refsnider said. “If they’re increasing immune functioning to deal with the harmful algal bloom, that comes at a cost to something we haven’t identified yet.”
After identifying the inconsistent response of wildlife to harmful algal blooms, Refnsider next wants to track the movements of the animals through satellite or acoustic transmitters to see if they are changing their travel patterns to avoid experiencing the negative impacts.
DOI
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147790
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Experimental study
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Animals
ARTICLE TITLE
Effects of harmful algal blooms on stress levels and immune functioning in wetland-associated songbirds and reptiles
IMAGE: EMILY LEYDEN SAMPLING MANGROVE-SALT MARSH ENVIRONMENTS AT SANDY POINT, NORTH OF ADELAIDE.view more
CREDIT: EMILY LEYDEN.
University of Adelaide scientists have developed a new simple, inexpensive and fast method to analyse sulfur isotopes, which can be used to help investigate chemical changes in environments such as oceans, and freshwater rivers and lakes.
Published in Talanta, the research opens up potential for new environmental applications of the method, such as tracing the effect of sea level rise, including detection of seawater intrusion into freshwater systems.
“Sulfur isotopes can tell us a great deal about Earth cycles both now and in the past,” said lead author PhD student Emily Leyden from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences.
“Different water sources have different levels of sulfur isotopes within them. The processes that occur within an environment such as the intrusion of seawater into freshwater systems, and oxidation of acid sulfate soils, can change these ratios. By analysing sulfur isotope ratios we can gain important insights into how environments are changing.”
The traditional method of measuring sulfur isotopes is known as mass spectroscopy (MS), where samples are ionized (split into their ions) and the ions of interest in the samples are measured depending on their mass to charge ratio, which differs between isotopes of the same chemical element.
The traditional method has been notoriously difficult, as the mass to charge ratio amongst ions can disperse and overlap, which can make the results hard to differentiate. Sulfur can usually only be measured reliably if there is complex chemical purification before analysis, which is time consuming, difficult and expensive.
As part of Ms Leyden’s PhD study, a team including members from the University of Adelaide’s Metal Isotope Group with the School of Physical Sciences, the School of Biological Sciences and Adelaide Microscopy, with scientists at Flinders University, worked together to develop a novel method to measure sulfur isotopes using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) MS instrument.
The new instrument enabled the team to solve the overlapping issue (known as spectral interference) by combining sulfur with another element (oxygen in this case) to increase the mass to charge ratio in order to lower the risk of spectral interference. The sulfur isotopes can then be measured accurately without the need for complex and time consuming sample purification.
In the study, the University of Adelaide scientists simulated how the method would work in a real world scenario by tracing seawater flooding into a range of different coastal environments in South Australia.
Following flooding, the original sulfur isotope of the soil water clearly changed to that of the seawater isotope. The sulfur isotope ratios of the samples also gave clues to their individual and unique makeup before seawater flooding. For example, acid sulfate soil impacts were detected in two soils, and the signature of historical upstream silver sulfide mining could be detected from a site in the upper Onkaparinga River.
Co-author and Principal PhD Supervisor Associate Professor Luke Mosley from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences says, the new method opens up sulfur isotope measurement to a range of new environmental applications for scientists across many different disciplines.
University of Adelaide scientists have developed a new simple, inexpensive and fast method to analyse sulfur isotopes, which can be used to help investigate chemical changes in environments such as oceans, and freshwater rivers and lakes.
Published in Talanta, the research opens up potential for new environmental applications of the method, such as tracing the effect of sea level rise, including detection of seawater intrusion into freshwater systems.
“Sulfur isotopes can tell us a great deal about Earth cycles both now and in the past,” said lead author PhD student Emily Leyden from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences.
“Different water sources have different levels of sulfur isotopes within them. The processes that occur within an environment such as the intrusion of seawater into freshwater systems, and oxidation of acid sulfate soils, can change these ratios. By analysing sulfur isotope ratios we can gain important insights into how environments are changing.”
The traditional method of measuring sulfur isotopes is known as mass spectroscopy (MS), where samples are ionized (split into their ions) and the ions of interest in the samples are measured depending on their mass to charge ratio, which differs between isotopes of the same chemical element.
The traditional method has been notoriously difficult, as the mass to charge ratio amongst ions can disperse and overlap, which can make the results hard to differentiate. Sulfur can usually only be measured reliably if there is complex chemical purification before analysis, which is time consuming, difficult and expensive.
As part of Ms Leyden’s PhD study, a team including members from the University of Adelaide’s Metal Isotope Group with the School of Physical Sciences, the School of Biological Sciences and Adelaide Microscopy, with scientists at Flinders University, worked together to develop a novel method to measure sulfur isotopes using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) MS instrument.
The new instrument enabled the team to solve the overlapping issue (known as spectral interference) by combining sulfur with another element (oxygen in this case) to increase the mass to charge ratio in order to lower the risk of spectral interference. The sulfur isotopes can then be measured accurately without the need for complex and time consuming sample purification.
In the study, the University of Adelaide scientists simulated how the method would work in a real world scenario by tracing seawater flooding into a range of different coastal environments in South Australia.
Following flooding, the original sulfur isotope of the soil water clearly changed to that of the seawater isotope. The sulfur isotope ratios of the samples also gave clues to their individual and unique makeup before seawater flooding. For example, acid sulfate soil impacts were detected in two soils, and the signature of historical upstream silver sulfide mining could be detected from a site in the upper Onkaparinga River.
Co-author and Principal PhD Supervisor Associate Professor Luke Mosley from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences says, the new method opens up sulfur isotope measurement to a range of new environmental applications for scientists across many different disciplines.
“Using this new method, scientists can measure sulfur isotopes in environmental samples easily following only simple dilution of the sample of interest,” said Associate Professor Mosley.
“It is particularly timely and important given there is rapid global environmental change, and the method enables easier detection of seawater intrusion into freshwater systems due to sea-level rise.”
aerial view of mangrove-salt marsh area at Sandy Point, North of Adelaide, South Australia. (VIDEO)
A simple and rapid ICP-MS/MS determination of sulfur isotope ratios (34S/32S) in complex natural waters: A new tool for tracing seawater intrusion in coastal systems
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
28-Jul-2021
Losses of eelgrass beds give rise to large emissions of carbon and nutrients
IMAGE: LOSSES OF EELGRASS BEDS GIVE RISE TO LARGE EMISSIONS OF CARBON AND NUTRIENTSview more
CREDIT: JONAS THORMAR
Losses of important eelgrass meadows in western Sweden since the 1980s have led to considerable bottom erosion and the release of carbon and nitrogen; substances that contribute to increasing climate change and eutrophication. This is shown in a new study by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Stockholm University, Åbo Akademi University and the University of Southern Denmark, published in the journal Ecosphere.
Eelgrass beds play an important role for coastal ecosystems and provide humans with several valuable ecosystem services. They constitute important habitats for cod and other commercial dish species, they increase biodiversity and provide clearer water by stabilizing the bottom. They also capture and store organic material rich in carbon and nutrients for a long time in the sediment, which reduces climate effects and eutrophication. The ongoing loss of eelgrass meadows along e.g. the Swedish West Coast worries researchers that carbon and nutrients can be released from sediment when the protective meadow disappears. However, studies on this have been lacking.
An international research group, led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, is now publishing a study in the journal Ecosphere, which for the first time can show that losses of eelgrass give rise to significant emissions of both carbon and nutrients to the environment. The researchers compared sediments in eelgrass meadows with areas where the meadows have been lost in southern Bohuslän on the Swedish west coast, where large losses of eelgrass have occurred since the 1980s. The results show that Bohuslän's eelgrass beds are unusually efficient at storing both carbon and nutrients in the sediment, especially meadows in wave-protected areas that have unusually high levels.
- These meadows can have several meter-thick layers of organically rich sediment, which makes them global "hot-spots" for carbon and nitrogen storage, says Per Moksnes who is the main author of the study.
The study also shows that the levels of carbon and nitrogen are several times lower in the sediment where eelgrass beds have disappeared, and indicates that at least 35 cm of the organically rich sediment has eroded away and released carbon and nitrogen to the environment. The results also show that meadows in protected areas, with the largest layers of carbon and nitrogen, are the ones that have the most sensitive sediment, and are most easily eroded after a loss of eelgrass. Conservative calculations estimate that for every hectare of eelgrass that disappears, an average of over 60 tonnes of carbon and 6.6 tonnes of nitrogen are released into the environment.
– The emissions of nitrogen from one hectare of lost eelgrass are in the same order of magnitude as the average annual emissions from a fish farm in Sweden. It is therefore important that these emissions are taken into account in permit trials concerning activities that damage eelgrass, says Per Moksnes.
– Eelgrass meadows are disappearing in many other countries than Sweden. All over the world, sea grasses are declining; especially in areas with a high level of tourism and construction activities. It is important to conserve existing meadows and to re-establish lost meadows, says co-author Marianne Holmer, who is an expert in coastal ecology and a professor at University of Southern Denmark.
Restoration of eelgrass meadows is presently carried out both in Denmark and Sweden, where new eelgrass shoots are planted in fjords and other protected coastal areas, where eelgrass meadows once were common. Such an approach is a so called nature based solution: By planting new meadows, you use nature’s own solutions to capture and store carbon and nutrients instead of applying, say, technological solutions.
Denmark, Finland and Sweden are members of International Union for Conservation of Nature; an organization focused on addressing societal challenges like climate change, loss of biodiversity and food security with nature based solutions.
The study also shows that the cost to society to compensate for these emissions is significantly higher for nitrogen (SEK 1.3 million per hectare of lost eelgrass) than for carbon (SEK 71,000 per hectare) and that Bohuslän's eelgrass is therefore extra important to counteract eutrophication.
In the fjord areas within Marstrand in southern Bohuslän, almost 10 km2 of eelgrass has disappeared since the 1980s, which has resulted in an estimated emission of over 60,000 tonnes of carbon and 6,600 tonnes of nitrogen over a 20-year period.
– The estimated emission of nitrogen from this loss is three times greater than the annual load of nitrogen to the Skagerrak from all Swedish watercourses, and would cost society about SEK 1.3 billion to compensate, says Per Moksnes.
The results strengthen the view that eelgrass meadows are very important for both the environment and humans, where old meadows in protected areas are extra important as they protect their large sediment stocks of carbon and nutrients from leakage. Eelgrass beds in wave-protected areas are today particularly vulnerable as humans like to build docks and marinas in these areas, and as the loose sediments are extra sensitive from waves from boats.
– We hope that the study can shed light on the importance of identifying and increasing the protection of these valuable and sensitive eelgrass meadows, concludes Per Moksnes.
The study was carried out within the interdisciplinary research program Zorro at the University of Gothenburg https://www.gu.se/forskning/zorro) in collaboration with researchers at Stockholm University, Åbo Akademi in Finland and the University of Southern Denmark in Denmark.
Article reference: Moksnes P-O, Röhr E, Holmer M, Eklöf JS, Eriander L, Infantes E Boström C. Major impacts and societal costs of seagrass loss on sediment carbon and nitrogen stocks. Ecosphere 12 (7): e03658. 10.1002 / ecs2. 3658.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3658
JOURNAL
Ecosphere
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Experimental study
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Not applicable
What’s killing coral reefs in Florida is also killing them in Belize
Study of Belize Barrier Reef Shows Nitrogen Enrichment from Land-based Sources Doubled in Four Decades
IMAGE: A LARGE CORAL (SIDERASTREA SIDEREA) COLONY AT GLOVER’S ATOLL (2018) SHOWS DEAD SURFACES COVERED WITH BORING SPONGE (CLIONA SP.), WHICH BIO-ERODES THE CALCIUM CARBONATE CORAL SKELETON FRAMEWORK RESULTING IN LOST STRUCTURE AND PHYSICAL COMPLEXITY ALL IMPACTING BIODIVERSITYview more
CREDIT: A. TEWFIK/WCS
In 1842, Charles Darwin described the Belize Barrier Reef as “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies.” Fast forward to 2021, only about 17 percent of live coral cover remains on fore-reefs in Belize. Overfishing, resulting in reduced grazing of algae, has long been blamed for adversely impacting this globally significant ecosystem along the Caribbean coast of Central America. Designated in part as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, the Mesoamerican reef is second in length only to the iconic Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
A first-of-its-kind study provides evidence that reduced grazing is not solely responsible for coral death in this barrier reef and the proof is in the chemistry. Instead, nitrogen enrichment from land-based sources is significantly driving macroalgal blooms to increase on the Belize Barrier Reef and causing massive decline in hard coral cover. With only 2 percent of hard coral cover remaining in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, it’s too late to save that reef, but there is still hope for the Belize Barrier Reef.
To assess the level of nutrient enrichment and eutrophication in the coastal waters of the Belize Barrier Reef due to human impacts on watersheds and subsequent management of these nutrients, researchers used benthic macroalgae as cumulative bioindicators of nutrient enrichment.
Results of the study, published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, suggest that N:P ratios have doubled over the past 35 years within the main Belize Barrier Reef lagoon, similar to the three-fold increases in N:P of macroalgae at Looe Key reef in the lower Florida Keys since the 1980s. The study provides an expansive geographic scope of potential nutrient impacts in the northern and central lagoon, while also using a unique, local historical baseline in the central lagoon to gauge the change in nutrient availability across the Belize Barrier Reef over the past four decades.
“Our study is the first to suggest that nutrient stress caused by nitrogen enrichment and elevated N:P ratios, both detrimental to hard coral physiology, is a primary mechanism by which human activities within watersheds and coastal environments of Belize are negatively impacting the barrier reef,” said Lapointe. “This is perhaps most acute for the health and biodiversity of hard corals that are the critical ecosystem engineers of tropical reefs. The impacts of deforestation, agriculture run-off, sewage, increasing numbers and capacity of cruise ships and tourism infrastructure, effluent from large-scale aquaculture production and large amounts of nutrient-rich ash from forest fires in the region are contributing to overall declining water quality and incidents of hyper-eutrophication in areas such as the Placencia Lagoon and the New River, Belize.”
Lapointe and co-authors Alexander Tewfik, Ph.D., a marine ecologist who served as senior conservation scientist from 2014 to 2019 for the Wildlife Conservation Society and is currently a consultant for the organization; and Myles Phillips, MSc., technical coordinator, Wildlife Conservation Society, examined the relationships between the C, N, P contents, stoichiometry (C:N:P) and stable isotopes of C and N found within the tissue of a variety of common macroalgae species sampled in the lower riverine, estuarine and shallow marine environments from around Belize City to the offshore fore-reef habitats of the Belize Barrier Reef.
They also compared their Belize City transect data from 2019, which included the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary declared to protect the endangered West Indian manatee and lying just 3 kilometers from Belize City, to similar elemental content (N, P) and stoichiometry data collected from macroalgae by the team in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve in 2017 and during the 1980s by Lapointe.
Researchers found that increasing nutrients, especially N, from the Belize River and Haulover Creek (a side channel and outfall of the Belize River), sustain macroalgal blooms from nearshore areas of the main lagoon to the offshore fore-reef. Significant offshore gradients of C:N:P in macroalgae all indicated land-based sources of these key nutrients; C:N and C:P ratios of macroalgae were lower in nearshore waters with lower salinity values, pointing to freshwater runoff as the source of nutrient enrichment; and N values of macroalgae were overall enriched well above values for N2 fixation, especially in near-shore waters, where values matched those reported for sewage pollution.
N:P ratios of macroalgae were elevated across the entire Belize City nearshore-to-offshore gradient to values of approximately 70:1, some four-fold higher than the Redfield Ratio (16:1) for oceanic waters and more than two-fold higher than values for macroalgae on the Belize Barrier Reef in the mid-1980s (about 30:1). This indicates widespread N-enrichment, increasing N:P ratios and a strengthening of P-limitation, which also is consistent with patterns of pelagic Sargassum across large areas of the Atlantic basin and Caribbean Sea, which have plagued the nearshore waters and beaches of the region with increased biomass since 2011.
“The mouth of Haulover Creek was clearly the most polluted site examined in our study, as it drains directly through the commercial center of the Belize City watershed that is heavily impacted by untreated sewage,” said Tewfik. “In addition, effluent from the processing of hundreds of metric tons of queen conch and Caribbean spiny lobster, the two most important fisheries exports in Belize, entering Haulover Creek is contributing to the negative effects of poor water quality in the lagoon.”
To mitigate the environmental impacts on the Belize Barrier Reef, the researchers say that a number of actions could be taken to reduce nutrient loading from urban effluents and agricultural run-off to improve water quality and restore the shallow coastal ecosystems of this globally significant coral reef ecosystem. They recommend to continue efforts in compiling ecological assessments of impacts, standardize appropriate management practices and water quality monitoring protocols, and adopt a focused ridge-to-reef conservation strategy as well as increasing awareness of often “invisible” nutrient contamination among the general public and political bodies.
“Eutrophication is an important and widespread problem that is recognized by coral reef scientists around the world,” said Lapointe. “Our latest data provide further evidence that it is unlikely that simply controlling fishing practices, even in light of climate change, will enhance resilience of Belize’s coral reefs or any other coral reefs being impacted by eutrophication. The reality of this large-scale coastal pollution must be rigorously confronted by scientists and resource managers alike in Belize, the United States and world-wide.”
This research was supported by NASA’s Biological Diversity and Ecological Forecasting Program under contract number 80NSSC19K0200 (Climate-influenced Nutrient Flows and Threats to the Biodiversity of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System), Coastal Association of Science and Technology (COAST) and FAU Harbor Branch. A number of additional staff of Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize aided with all field logistics, initial sample preparations and project support.
- FAU -
About Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute: Founded in 1971, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is a research community of marine scientists, engineers, educators and other professionals focused on Ocean Science for a Better World. The institute drives innovation in ocean engineering, at-sea operations, drug discovery and biotechnology from the oceans, coastal ecology and conservation, marine mammal research and conservation, aquaculture, ocean observing systems and marine education. For more information, visit www.fau.edu/hboi.
About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
Video depicts the dramatic decline of hard coral cover in the Belize Barrier Reef from 1993 compared to 2017 and 2019. Video from 2017 and 2019 were taken at Curlew Caye, an island in Stann Creek, Belize and Glover’s Reef, located off the southern coast of Belize.
CREDIT
1993 video credit: B. Lapointe/ FAU Harbor Branch) (2017 and 2019 video credit: Brian Lapointe and A. Tewfik/WCS
CAPTION
Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., pictured holding macroalgal blooms at Man-O-War Cay in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (SWCMR).
CREDIT
A. Tewfik/WCS
CAPTION
An algae overgrown shallow patch reef at Glover's Atoll with parrotfish and tangs (herbivores) in June 2017.
CREDIT
A. Tewfik/WCS
DOI
10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112686
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Data/statistical analysis
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Not applicable
ARTICLE TITLE
Macroalgae reveal nitrogen enrichment and elevated N:P ratios on the Belize Barrier Reef
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
13-Jul-2021
COI STATEMENT
None
Study confirms safety of stem cell therapy for chronic knee pain
IMAGE: LEAD INVESTIGATOR MITSURU MIZUNO, DVM, PH.D. AND CORRESPONDING AUTHOR ICHIRO SEKIYA, M.D., PH.D.view more
CREDIT: ALPHAMED PRESS
Durham, NC – A study released in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine has confirmed the safety of a novel type of cellular therapy for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Conducted by a multi-institutional team of researchers in Japan who had developed the new therapy, the study was designed to confirm that their treatment – which involves transplanting the patient’s own mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the affected knee – did not cause tumors.
The results showed that five years after transplantation, osteoarthritis-related tears to the knee meniscus had healed and, just as importantly, none of the patients experienced any serious side effects from the treatment. The meniscus is a crescent-shaped cartilage in the knee joint that plays a role in shock absorption. Age-related damage to the meniscus often leads to the progression of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Chronic knee pain is a major issue for the aging, affecting approximately 25 percent of all adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of this condition in people aged 50 and older. Along with pain, which can be debilitating, knee problems can significantly affect the person’s mobility and quality of life.
Knee replacement surgery is the gold standard of treatment, with the majority of people experiencing a dramatic reduction in pain and, thus, improvement in their ability to live a normal life. However, though rare, such surgery does come with risks such as the possibility of infection.
Cellular therapies are showing great potential as a less invasive way to treat difficult-to-heal knee injuries. The team behind the current study, which included researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Kyoto University and Kazusa DNA Research Institute, recently developed a therapy involving the transplantation of MSCs derived from the knee’s soft tissue (the synovium) into the injured meniscus. MSCs are multipotent adult stem cells present in the umbilical cord, bone marrow, fat, dental and other body tissues. Their ability to secrete biologically active molecules that exert beneficial effects on injured tissues makes them a promising target in regenerative medicine.
But some stem cell treatments have been known to cause tumors, which is why the team wanted to ensure that their therapy was free of any negative side effects. In particular, they wanted to investigate the safety of any MSCs that might show a type of chromosomal disorder called trisomy 7.
“Trisomy 7 occurs frequently in patients with severe knee disease such as osteoarthritis. The detection of trisomy 7 in epithelial cells has been associated with tumor formation. However, the safety of these cells after transplantation has not been investigated. That’s what we wanted to learn from this study,” said corresponding author Ichiro Sekiya, M.D., Ph. D., director and professor of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (CSCRM) at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Mitsuru Mizuno, DVM, Ph.D., assistant professor with CSCRM, served as the study’s lead investigator. He reported on the results. “We recruited 10 patients for the study and transplanted their own stem cells into the affected knee joints, then followed up with MRIs over the next five years. The images revealed that tears in the patients’ knee meniscus were obscured three years after transplantation. We also identified trisomy 7 in three of the patients, yet no serious adverse events including tumor formation were observed in any of them.”
Dr. Sekiya added, “Keep in mind that these were autologous MSCs used in our study, which means that the transplanted MSCs came from the patients themselves. Any problems that might arise in the case of allogeneic cells, which are donated by someone other than the patient, still need to be determined.
“Nevertheless, we believe that these data suggest that MSCs with trisomy 7 are safe for transplantation into human knees and show much promise in treating osteoarthritis.”
“This study highlights the ability of a patient’s own stem cells to potentially heal torn cartilage in the knee,” said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. “These outcomes suggest a potential approach that could change the overall physical health of patients who suffer from osteoarthritis and experience debilitating joint pain. We look forward to the continuation of this research to further document clinical efficacy.”
About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM), co-published by AlphaMed Press and Wiley, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices. SCTM is the official journal partner of Regenerative Medicine Foundation.
About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes two other internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals: STEM CELLS® (http://www.StemCells.com), celebrating its 39th year, is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. The Oncologist® (http://www.TheOncologist.com), also a monthly peer-reviewed publication, entering its 26th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. All three journals are premier periodicals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines.
About Wiley: Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions, help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
About Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF): The non-profit Regenerative Medicine Foundation fosters strategic collaborations to accelerate the development of regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. RMF pursues its mission by producing its flagship World Stem Cell Summit, honouring leaders through the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Awards, and promoting educational initiatives.
JOURNAL
Stem Cells Translational Medicine
DOI
10.1002/sctm.20-0491
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Experimental study
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Cells
ARTICLE TITLE
Transplantation of human autologous synovial mesenchymal stem cells with trisomy 7 into the knee joint and 5 years of follow-up
