Doctor Performs World's First Embryonic Stem Cell Operation In A Bid To Cure Blindness
Doctor Performs First Stem Cell Operation To Cure Blindness
Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK
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A doctor in the UK has performed the world's first embryonic stem cell operation using a "patch" technique in the hope of finding a cure for blindness in some patients, the Press Association reports.
Professor Lyndon Da Cruz from Moorfields Eye Hospital in London carried out the operation last month on a woman with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The procedure involves taking a single stem cell from an embryo and growing it into a "patch" or sheet of cells that can be transplanted into the eye.
Experts hope to be able to reverse vision loss in people with AMD, which affects more than 600,000 people in the UK and is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
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The woman does not wish to be named but there have been no complications to date.
A study on 10 patients with a form of the disease known as wet AMD has been launched, with the hope of extending the findings to people with the more common dry AMD.
AMD affects one specific area of cells that are either damaged or completely missing.
In the new technique, a stem cell from an embryo is grown in the lab to create a single layer of retinal pigment epithelium cells.
These cells form a thin sheet that lines the inside of the eye, under the retina. A healthy layer is critical to normal sight.
When these cells are damaged or lost, they are thought to lead to AMD.
Professor Da Cruz said embryos were the "perfect source" of cells, adding: "The reason we are very excited is that we have been able to create these very specific cells and we have been able to transfer them to the patient.
"It's the combination of being able to create the cells that are missing and demonstrate that we can safely transplant them.
"This has the potential to be a treatment rather than being theoretical proof."
A previous safety study published in The Lancet used stem cells in a solution but was not aimed at reversing sight loss or producing a therapy.
This is the first time experts have used a "patch" technique using embryonic cells with the aim of reversing vision loss in patients.
The cells were taken from donated embryos that were created during IVF treatment but never used.
Prof Da Cruz has started the trial with wet AMD patients because there is potential to restore their sight faster following sudden vision loss.
"We can get an answer much earlier (with wet AMD compared with dry AMD) because vision can be restored more quickly," he said.
"We would hope within the first three months to get some idea of whether it is working."
He said the surgery would need to be performed early on in patients with dry AMD, but added: "Certainly, we believe this technique will work in patients with dry AMD."
The operation is a major milestone in the London Project to Cure Blindness, which is a partnership between Moorfields, the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology and the National Institute for Health Research.
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer joined the partnership in 2009 with the goal of creating a potential therapy for AMD.
Preserve Your Eyesight With These 10 Foods
Collard Greens(01 of10)
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Like all leafy green vegetables, collards are high in the carotenoid nutrient lutein. Eating foods rich in carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. (credit:Shutterstock)
Courgette(02 of10)
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Another food rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin help by protecting the central retina (also known as the macula) from blue and ultraviolet light. Consumption of zeaxanthin, with lutein, has been found in studies to reduce the likehood of developing cataracts. (credit:Shutterstock)
Broccoli (03 of10)
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Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have been found to protect the retina from free radical damage. This may be due to a compound in broccoli called sulphoraphane which naturally boosts the body's own defense system against free radicals. (credit:Shutterstock)
Eggs(04 of10)
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Eggs are rich in cysteine and sulphur, two components of glutathione, a protein that acts as an antioxidant for the lens of the eye. This may explain why sulphur-containing compounds have been found to protect from cataract formation. Egg yolks also contain lutein and diets high in lutein lead to reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. (credit:Shutterstock)
Garlic And Onions(05 of10)
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Sulphur-rich garlic and onions are important for the production of glutathione, an important sulphur containing protein that acts as an antioxidant for the lens of the eye. Raising glutathione levels can be instrumental in both prevention and resolution of visual problems like macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts. (credit:Shutterstock)
Tomatoes(06 of10)
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Tomatoes contain two eye-healthy nutrients -- lycopene and lutein. Both of these phytochemicals are carotenoids, found to be helpful for vision. Lycopene has been well documented as effective in cancer-protection, but its antioxidant capabilities also act to protect the eyes from sun damage. (credit:Shutterstock)
Carrots (07 of10)
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The old axiom that carrots are good for the eyes is not just a myth. Carrots are rich in betacarotene (precursor to vitamin A, a necessary nutrient for vision), lycopene (a phytonutrient antioxidant protective of UVB radiation in the eye) and lutein (a protective phytonutrient found in high concentrations in the macula which protects it from free radical damage). (credit:Shutterstock)
Blueberries (08 of10)
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Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue. As well as having the eye-healthy carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, blueberries contain anthocyanins, eye-nourishing phytonutrients which have been shown to improve night vision. They also contain flavonoids like rutin, resveratrol and quercitin which may have preventative effects on macular degeneration. Blueberries also contain minerals necessary for proper vision including selenium and zinc. (credit:Shutterstock)
Apricots (09 of10)
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Apricots are rich in both beta-carotene and lycopene, two phytochemicals that promote good vision. Beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to the lense of the eye, helping to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. (credit:Shutterstock)
Fatty Fish(10 of10)
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Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, haddock as well as sardines are rich in the healthy Omega-3 oils. Fish are especially high in EPA and DHA, two Omega-3 fats which are important for cellular health. DHA makes up 30 percent of the fatty acids that comprise the retina. (credit:Shutterstock)