San Diego scientists are advancing in the field of stem cell research with a recent medical discovery by UCSD associate professor Yang Xu and the appointment of Leon Thal, professor and chair of the campus neurosciences department, to an oversight committee of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
Campus biologists, headed by Xu, have linked the existence of a specific protein, known as p53, with the cellular response to DNA damage. The discovery could explain how stem cells, which are capable of dividing an unlimited number of times and changing to become any type of cell in the body, are able to stop replication of cells exhibiting genetic damage.
“We have a hypothesis that it is DNA damage that induces embryonic stem cells to [stop duplication and] differentiate, so they will be able to repair the damage and cure them,” Xu said. “The outcome of an embryonic stem cell pool with extensive DNA damage would lead to multiple tissues and eventually even be passed on to your progeny.”
Scientists see the protein as one of the first mechanisms found for the suppression of tumors and other cancerous growths. The researchers, however, are continuing to study the connection between the protein and DNA damage response.
“We now have to understand how important this is in the tumor genesis,” Xu said. “Would an embryo die or would an embryo live despite being cancer prone? And we would want to investigate other mechanisms and also look into human embryonic stem cells.”
The finding followed the appointment of a second UCSD faculty member to the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee responsible for the administration of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and the spending of $3 billion worth of bonds approved by voters for stem cell research.
On Dec. 13, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that Thal would join Vice Chancellor of Health and Sciences Edward H. Holmes, who also serves as dean of UCSD School of Medicine, on the 29-member oversight panel. The committee will also include representatives from UC Irvine, UC San Francisco, UC Davis and UCLA, in addition to members from private industry and nonprofit groups.
Established by the voter passage of Proposition 71 in the Nov. 2 election, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine is charged with the regulation of stem cell research and the allocation of grants for research and institutions.
“The committee will develop the policies and procedures for the allocation of scientific grants as well as consider the moral issues of stem cell research,” Thal said. “I want to commend the governor and the other people involved in the appointments for picking an outstanding group of people.”
Schwarzenegger also announced the appointment of Robert Klein, president of Klein Financial Corporation and a key backer of the proposition, as chairman of the committee, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation President Edward Penhoet as vice chairman.
Thal, who also serves as the director of the UCSD Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, said he believes that stem cell research opens new opportunities for scientific discoveries.
“Some human diseases cannot be studied,” Thal said. “Diseases such as Alzheimer’s can only be studied in animals or postmortems. But with stem cells, we can insert the disease inside the cells and be able to study what goes awry.”
The governor praised Thal and other members of the committee, which met for the second time earlier this month.
“I am confident that this team will provide the leadership, vision and oversight necessary to guide this important and landmark committee as they work to establish California’s prominence as a leader in stem cell research,” Schwarzenegger stated in an official announcement. “Each of these individuals has the experience, education, passion and commitment necessary to keep California on the path to leading the nation in groundbreaking and lifesaving research.”
