The investigation also found that Cells4Life markets its services on questionable evidence published in the Journal of Stem Cells Research, Development & Therapy. Although the journal claims to operate a peer-review process, the research article referenced by Cells4Life was published in the journal just 17 days after receipt—a timescale far shorter than the 12-14 weeks typical for peer-reviewed journals. The BMJ contacted two editors listed on the journal’s editorial board who said that they did not in fact hold these roles.
SmartCells, another private cord blood bank service, claims on their website that the possibilities for using stem cells are endless, as these cells “have the ability to repair, replace, and regenerate cells of almost any kind.” The website of another service, Future Health, lists more than 75 genetic, immune and blood disorders that can be treated.
Charles Murry, director of the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, and Pietro Merli, a pediatrician at the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Italy, said the list of applications is unrealistic.
“Stem cell transplants with CCR5-delta32/32 cells offer a two-for-one cure for people living with HIV and blood cancers,” says Persaud. However, because of the invasiveness of the procedure, stem cell transplants (both with and without the mutation) are only considered for people who need a transplant for other reasons, and not for curing HIV in isolation; before a patient can undergo a stem cell transplant, they need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy their existing immune system.
“This study is pointing to the really important role of having CCR5-delta32/32 cells as part of stem cell transplants for HIV patients, because all of the successful cures so far have been with this mutated cell population, and studies that transplanted new stem cells without this mutation have failed to cure HIV,” says Persaud.
“If you’re going to perform a transplant as a cancer treatment for someone with HIV, your priority should be to look for cells that are CCR5-delta32/32 because then you can potentially achieve remission for both their cancer and HIV.”
The authors emphasize that more effort needs to go into screening stem cell donors and donations for the CCR5-delta32 mutation. “With our protocol, we identified 300 cord blood units with this mutation so that if someone with HIV needed a transplant tomorrow, they would be available,” says Bryson, “but something needs to be done [on] an ongoing basis to search for these mutations, and support will be needed from communities and governments.”
Arsenic contamination is a significant threat to human health in many parts of the world. Exposure to high levels of arsenic has been associated with a range of health problems such as diabetes, cognitive dysfunction, and certain types of cancer. In addition, arsenic exposure during pregnancy can cause miscarriages, reduced fetal growth and greater risk of health problems for children born in regions with high levels of arsenic. However, little is known about exactly how arsenic passes between mothers and their babies—both born and unborn—in populations living in contaminated areas.
Can a mother with COVID-19 pass the virus to her baby in the womb?
This data is evolving fast. Two papers published March 26 describe finding coronavirus antibodies in three newborns of mothers with COVID-19. That could suggest they had been exposed to the virus in the womb, though the virus itself was not detected in their umbilical cord blood and researchers have raised questions about the type of test used. Researchers in an earlier study found no evidence of COVID-19 in the amniotic fluid or cord blood of six other infants born to infected women. While the research papers include only a small number of cases, a lack of vertical transmission—from the mother to child in utero—would be consistent with what is seen with other common respiratory viral illnesses in pregnancy, such as influenza.
There have been a few reports of newborns as young as a few days old with infection. But in those cases, it is believed that the mother or a family member transmitted the infection to the infant through close contact after delivery. The virus can be transmitted through a cough or sneeze, which could spread virus-laden droplets on a newborn.
How are prenatal checkups changing?
Prenatal care may look different for a while to control the spread of COVID-19 among patients, caregivers and medical staff.
Typically, a pregnant woman has about 14 prenatal visits. That may be reduced by approximately half, with telemedicine playing a larger role. Telemedicine is already endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for patients in rural settings. Now, the pandemic is making virtual care solutions an indispensable tool. Pregnant women are able to do some at-home monitoring, such as for high blood pressure, diabetes and contractions, and telemedicine can even be used by pregnancy consultants, such as endocrinologists and genetic counselors.