Friday, July 8, 2011

Boston University researchers use stem cells to kill pain

By Lori Valigra, Mass High Tech correspondent

Researchers from Boston University’s School of Dental Medicine said they have discovered that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells can relieve orofacial pain in rats within one day of treatment by either IV injection or direct injection of cells to the injured area.

The pain did not return after the rats received stem cell injections, but an untreated group of rats suffered pain for up to 22 weeks, which was the duration of the experiment.

The BU researchers simulated two types of pain: myogenic pain (by tying up the masticatory muscle tendon used in chewing) and neuropathic pain (by tying up the facial nerve). Stem cells successfully reduced pain in both cases, they said.

They also found that the pain suppression was partly resolved by the endogenous opioid system centrally (in the brain) and peripherally (at the injured site). They are now studying further mechanisms to explain how it works.

Associate Professor of endodonics George Huang collaborated on the research with Professor Ke Ren of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. In a Stem Cells publication, they said chronic pain conditions are difficult to treat and thus are major health problems. They added that the stem cells did not produce unwanted side effects.

The next step is a clinical trial to treat recalcitrant orofacial pain.