From mid 2016..
When pluripotent stem cells are differentiated into photoreceptor cells, and then implanted into the retina at the back of the eye of a laboratory animal, they do not always survive. However, pre-treatment of those cells with an antiaging glycoprotein (AAGP), made by ProtoKinetix, causes those transplanted cells to be 300 times more viable than cells not treated with this protein according to a study recently accepted for publication.
AAGP was invented by Dr. Geraldine-Castelot-Deliencourt and developed in partnership with the Institute for Scientific Application (INSA) of France. For her work in this area Dr. Castelot-Deliencourt was honored with France’s highest award for scientific accomplishment, the Francinov Award, in 2006.
ProtoKinetix, Incorporated said that a paper submitted by Kevin Gregory-Evans on the company’s AAGP was accepted for publication by the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine for publication.
AAGP significantly improves the viable yield of stem cells transplanted in retinal tissue, according to experiments conducted at the University of British Columbia in the laboratory of Dr. Kevin Gregory-Evans.
AAGP seems to protect cells from inflammation-induced cell death. This is based on experiments in which cultured cells that were treated with AAGP were significantly more resistant to hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet A (wavelengths of 320-400 nanometers), and ultraviolet C (shorter than 290 nm). In addition, when exposed to an inflammatory mediator, interleukin ß (ILß), AAGP exposure reduced COX-2 expression three-fold. COX-2 is an enzyme that is induced by the various stimuli that stimulate Inflammation. It is, therefore, an excellent read-out of the degree to which inflammation has been induced. The fact that AAGP prevented the induction of COX-2 shows that this protein can inhibit the induction of inflammation. These data suggest that AAGP™ may not just be usable in cell and organ storage but also in pharmacological treatments.
