How can we change stem cells into brain cells?

Lead Investigator: Dr Virginie Sottile
Institution: University of Nottingham
Grant type: Project
Duration: 2 years
Amount: £99,888
Scientific Title: Regulation of the pro-neural gene Sox1 to regulate stem cell potential.

What do we already know?

The bone marrow contains many different cell types, and in particular a fraction of stem cells that are promising in terms of new therapies; these stem cells are already used to treat different conditions, for instance to repair bone and cartilage, and recent reports suggest that they could also be used to replace brain cells (due to their 'neural' characteristics). Stem cells obtained in this way have an advantage because they are easily accessible.

It is important to determine how these stem cells within bone marrow could form brain cells. Recent results produced in Dr Virginie Sottile's lab using mouse cells as a model have identified mechanisms that can control how an important gene normally active in brain stem cells could be artificially activated in bone marrow cells.

We know that mechanisms governing mouse and human cells are very similar, so using this information previously found by this team, the researchers are now in a position to move to the human model and to manipulate human bone marrow cells.

What does this project involve?

This project aims to understand the biology of human bone marrow stem cells, and how to manipulate them to form brain cells. The first step is to alter human bone marrow stem cells to resemble brain stem cells by 'switching on' a gene normally active only in brain stem cells. The researchers will then test these altered bone marrow cells to determine how closely they can match the properties of brain cells.

How will this benefit people with dementia?

Results generated during this project will highlight how specific genes involved in the production of new brain cells can be activated. This information will allow us to manipulate bone marrow stem cells from patients directly, a strategy expected to contribute to novel therapies in the future.