An earlier post noted that StevyC intended to try Dr. Das's newest Stem Cell Treatment. Some people on the Facebook ENS Awareness Group collected questions concerned with this treatment. Questions were also solicited from members of the Forum
Dr. Das responsed to these questions on Feb 19.
Here are his responses:
Usiascr UsiascrFebruary 19 at 10:52am
Dear ENSA,
We have been forwarded some questions from a member of this group. Here are our responses.
1. How have your meetings with stem cell researchers been?
We met with Pradeep Mahajan while he visited the U.S. to give a lecture at Ohio State and I spoke with Dr. Anthony Atala over the phone for approximately 1 hour. Both meetings were very enlightening. Dr. Atala invited me to visit his lab and to visit him at the World Stem Cell Summit. We discussed possible therapies for ENS including the 3D printing of a cellular turbinate and possible mechanisms to implant such a turbinate. He estimated that the research required for such an endeavor would be greater than 10 million dollars. He also referred me to the works of many leading stem cell researchers in the U.S. We are hoping to meet him later this year.
2. How can stem cells regrow the anterior head of the turbinate?
There are a variety of stem cells and all have differing potentials for healing. Certain "stem cells" taken from a newly fertilized egg can create an entire human (as what occurs in identical twins.) Embryonic stem cells can create new organs. The stem cells that I am interested in, adipose derived stem cells are multipotent stem cells that have much more limited capacity to regenerate tissue and hopefully have the ability to grow new blood vessels, nerves, and epithelium in damaged structures. In essence, that act like "generals" and direct the healing process by other fibroblasts, macrophages, and other cells of tissue regeneration.
3. How do cells know when to stop proliferating?
The exact mechanisms are unknown, but cells typically respond to contact inhibition, so when they reach the correct density then they stop dividing.
4. Can you give us a general idea of the steps involved in stem cell therapy for the turbinates?
We will release this information in the future. Currently, we are in the process of developing and perfecting our techniques that we will hopefully offer to the entire ENS community in the near future.
5. Can I receive treatment after receiving previous implants or other therapies?
Yes, we do not anticipate that previous therapies should prevent the use of future stem-cell based therapies.
6. Will it be possible to regenerate the bone of the inferior turbinate?
Hopefully yes. The therapy that we are working on has been known to regenerate bone in other body locations. There has been one report of a patient who received a similar treatment to improve the cosmesis of her eyelids who develop a painful bony fragment in her eyelid.
7. Are you partnering with other stem cell experts to develop this treatment?
Yes, this has been an 18 month long process where we have reviewed and modified techniques with multiple leading stem cell authorities throughout the world. We have been specifically trained in many of the techniques being used in other body parts.
8. Do stem cell therapies have a cancer risk?
Yes, stem cell therapies carry a potential cancer risk. The stem cells that we are using, (Adipose derived stem cells) have been used extensively in the US for the last two years without any reports of cancer. There has been one report of stem cells harvested from nasal tissue being implanted into the spine and developing into nasal tissue that created mucus and became painful to the subject. However, I am unaware of any reports of true malignancy induced by stem cell therapy.
9. Has the treatment been used on turbinates by other ENTs? If so, what were the results?
Yes, a similar treatment has been reported from China on 30 patients. A statistically significant improvement in nasal obstruction, mucociliary clearance was reported. Inflammation was reduced, collagen fibers became aligned, and mucosal protein formation increased. The stem cells differentiated into human epithelial cells that were positive for epithelial markers such as cytokeratin-7 and cytokeratin-19.Thank you for your questions. Please be aware that our clinic strictly follows HIPAA laws and will not share any personal medical information or provide specific medical advice on public forums such as Facebook. We will not answer questions on how patients who have seen us are doing, what treatments they may have had or are going to have, etc. Also, I have noticed that there is a significant amount of inaccurate information and medical advice being administered from non-medical professionals on these forums and throughout the forums for other rare diseases that I care for. Please be careful in whose opinions you trust, and remember there are many people (as well as physicians, including myself) who are often wrong in the advice that they offer.
Best wishes, Shu Das
Dr. Das responsed to these questions on Feb 19.
Here are his responses:
Usiascr UsiascrFebruary 19 at 10:52am
Dear ENSA,
We have been forwarded some questions from a member of this group. Here are our responses.
1. How have your meetings with stem cell researchers been?
We met with Pradeep Mahajan while he visited the U.S. to give a lecture at Ohio State and I spoke with Dr. Anthony Atala over the phone for approximately 1 hour. Both meetings were very enlightening. Dr. Atala invited me to visit his lab and to visit him at the World Stem Cell Summit. We discussed possible therapies for ENS including the 3D printing of a cellular turbinate and possible mechanisms to implant such a turbinate. He estimated that the research required for such an endeavor would be greater than 10 million dollars. He also referred me to the works of many leading stem cell researchers in the U.S. We are hoping to meet him later this year.
2. How can stem cells regrow the anterior head of the turbinate?
There are a variety of stem cells and all have differing potentials for healing. Certain "stem cells" taken from a newly fertilized egg can create an entire human (as what occurs in identical twins.) Embryonic stem cells can create new organs. The stem cells that I am interested in, adipose derived stem cells are multipotent stem cells that have much more limited capacity to regenerate tissue and hopefully have the ability to grow new blood vessels, nerves, and epithelium in damaged structures. In essence, that act like "generals" and direct the healing process by other fibroblasts, macrophages, and other cells of tissue regeneration.
3. How do cells know when to stop proliferating?
The exact mechanisms are unknown, but cells typically respond to contact inhibition, so when they reach the correct density then they stop dividing.
4. Can you give us a general idea of the steps involved in stem cell therapy for the turbinates?
We will release this information in the future. Currently, we are in the process of developing and perfecting our techniques that we will hopefully offer to the entire ENS community in the near future.
5. Can I receive treatment after receiving previous implants or other therapies?
Yes, we do not anticipate that previous therapies should prevent the use of future stem-cell based therapies.
6. Will it be possible to regenerate the bone of the inferior turbinate?
Hopefully yes. The therapy that we are working on has been known to regenerate bone in other body locations. There has been one report of a patient who received a similar treatment to improve the cosmesis of her eyelids who develop a painful bony fragment in her eyelid.
7. Are you partnering with other stem cell experts to develop this treatment?
Yes, this has been an 18 month long process where we have reviewed and modified techniques with multiple leading stem cell authorities throughout the world. We have been specifically trained in many of the techniques being used in other body parts.
8. Do stem cell therapies have a cancer risk?
Yes, stem cell therapies carry a potential cancer risk. The stem cells that we are using, (Adipose derived stem cells) have been used extensively in the US for the last two years without any reports of cancer. There has been one report of stem cells harvested from nasal tissue being implanted into the spine and developing into nasal tissue that created mucus and became painful to the subject. However, I am unaware of any reports of true malignancy induced by stem cell therapy.
9. Has the treatment been used on turbinates by other ENTs? If so, what were the results?
Yes, a similar treatment has been reported from China on 30 patients. A statistically significant improvement in nasal obstruction, mucociliary clearance was reported. Inflammation was reduced, collagen fibers became aligned, and mucosal protein formation increased. The stem cells differentiated into human epithelial cells that were positive for epithelial markers such as cytokeratin-7 and cytokeratin-19.Thank you for your questions. Please be aware that our clinic strictly follows HIPAA laws and will not share any personal medical information or provide specific medical advice on public forums such as Facebook. We will not answer questions on how patients who have seen us are doing, what treatments they may have had or are going to have, etc. Also, I have noticed that there is a significant amount of inaccurate information and medical advice being administered from non-medical professionals on these forums and throughout the forums for other rare diseases that I care for. Please be careful in whose opinions you trust, and remember there are many people (as well as physicians, including myself) who are often wrong in the advice that they offer.
Best wishes, Shu Das
