Biochemist: Interfering with the functioning of stem cells may affect aging

Research suggests that interference with the functioning of stem cells may affect the rate of aging, Prof. Magdalena Kucia, MD, molecular biologist, and biochemist, told PAP. In the studies, transplantation of young cells improved the functioning of old tissues, she added.

PAP: What is regenerative medicine?

Prof. Magdalena Kucia: Regenerative medicine deals with the use of stem cell potential in the processes of repairing and regenerating damaged tissues and organs.

Our bodies are constantly renewing themselves – our skin regenerates every two weeks, red blood cells live for about 150 days, and our intestinal epithelium is replaced every two to three days. The problem arises when serious damage occurs, such as a heart attack, stroke, or spinal cord injury, when the body's natural repair potential becomes insufficient.

It's important to distinguish regenerative medicine from reconstructive medicine, which encompasses surgery, transplantology, and aesthetic medicine, among other fields. Reconstruction restores function but does not recreate tissue. Regeneration means actually repairing it.

The best-known example of this field's effectiveness are hematopoietic stem cells, used in bone marrow and cord blood transplants. These stem cells have led to the introduction of life-saving therapies for patients with leukemia and lymphoma. Currently, the possibility of applying similar strategies to other tissues, such as the heart, nervous system, skin, and muscles, is being intensively explored.

PAP: Can every organ be regenerated?

MK: However, not all tissues have the same regeneration potential. While the hematopoietic system and skin regenerate relatively well, skeletal muscle and the heart do much less well. Initial attempts to treat heart attacks with stem cells yielded limited results, which made scientists realize how much depends on the quality of the cells, their number, and the site of administration.

The so-called secretome—a mixture of bioactive substances secreted by stem cells that trigger repair processes—is also attracting increasing attention. Sometimes, it's these secretomes, not the cells themselves, that can produce a therapeutic effect.

PAP: Can stem cells have a healing effect in every disease?

MK: A great many. Whether we're talking about heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, retinopathies, or neurological conditions, thousands of clinical trials involving them are being conducted worldwide. According to reports published in journals such as Nature and Cell Stem Cell, the number of such studies currently exceeds several thousand.

For patients, even a partial improvement is crucial. If someone with heart failure, confined to bed, regains the ability to walk thanks to therapy, although the effect may seem small in statistical terms, it is a breakthrough in quality of life.

Initially, however, chaos reigned – various cell sources and quantities were used, and there was a lack of standardization. Today, research is increasingly well-organized, conducted in collaboration with regulatory agencies. Secretome-based therapies, or so-called membrane microfragments, are also gaining in importance and may become the basis for new, safer treatments in the future.

PAP: However, stem cells are also involved in the development of cancer.

MK: Rudolf Virchow, back in the 19th century, pointed out that cancers can originate from cells with a high dividing potential—today we call them stem cells. If they mutate, they can get out of control and become the source of a tumor. However, this applies to the natural biology of cancer, not to safely conducted regenerative therapies, which are strictly controlled.

Curing cancer is difficult because even after removing the bulk of the tumor, individual stem cells, capable of self-renewal and reinitiating growth, may remain. These cells are believed to be the main cause of disease recurrence. Modern oncology focuses on developing methods to identify and effectively eliminate them.

PAP: What role do stem cells play in the aging process?

MK: The body's aging is largely due to the depletion of its reservoir of healthy stem cells. With age, their number declines, and the ability to regenerate tissues significantly decreases. So-called senescent cells also appear—cells that no longer divide but secrete substances that disrupt the environment. This is one of the so-called hallmarks of aging, processes considered by biologists to be key mechanisms responsible for the body's aging process.

Youth is therefore associated with an abundance of functional stem cells, while old age is associated with their absence and the predominance of dysfunctional cells. This explains why repair processes in older people are slower and less effective.

PAP: Is it possible to extend life thanks to regenerative therapies?

MK: This is one of the most interesting questions in modern science. It's not just about "adding years to life," but above all, about "adding life to years"—that is, maintaining fitness and health into old age.

Research suggests that interfering with stem cell function can influence the rate of aging. For example, experiments in which transplantation of young stem cells improved the function of aged tissues are promising. Equally promising are therapies that remove senescent cells or neutralize their effects.

Of course, this is still a long way off, but we are increasingly understanding the mechanisms of aging and are able to influence them. Perhaps in a few decades, we will be able to not only treat age-related diseases but also significantly slow down the aging process.

PAP: What are the prospects for the development of regenerative medicine?

MK: Regenerative medicine is developing extremely dynamically. Not only cell transplantation is playing an increasingly important role, but also the use of their secretome—prepared bioactive preparations. A second direction is gene therapies and gene editing, such as CRISPR, which offer the potential for treating hereditary diseases. A third is bioengineering and 3D organ printing, which could provide tissue for transplantation in the future.

PAP: Are there any ethical issues in stem cell research?

MK: Yes, especially using embryonic cells. That's why alternatives are being developed today, such as induced stem cell stem cells (iPS), which can be obtained from the patient's adult tissue. These non-embryonic stem cell sources currently form the basis of research and clinical applications in regenerative medicine.

Patient safety is also crucial. Clinics have been known to offer unproven therapies for exorbitant amounts of money. Therefore, academic centers and regulatory agencies, which set research standards, play a crucial role.

PAP: When can patients realistically expect new therapies?

MK: Some regenerative therapies, such as bone marrow and cord blood transplants, have been used for many years and save the lives of patients with hematological diseases. Therapies for heart disease, retinopathies, and burns are closest to practical implementation – clinical research in these areas is the most advanced.

However, it's important to remember that there are no shortcuts in science. Developing a therapy requires years of research and safety confirmation. Therefore, we must be patient, but we have reason to be optimistic – what was once science fiction is becoming reality.

Interviewed by: Mira Suchodolska (PAP)

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