A NEW METHOD FOR PRODUCING LARGE QUANTITIES OF PROLIFERATING MYOCYTES FOR TRANSPLANTATION

Myoblasts are increasingly being used therapeutically for myogenesis or muscle tissue regeneration. However, when taken from patient's own muscle to avoid transplant rejection only a limited supply of myoblasts is available for transfer into the degenerating muscle. UCSF investigators may have identified a potential way to expand the population of myoblasts either isolated directly from patients or those derived from stem cells.

The UCSF investigators have identified a gene that when inhibited allows myoblasts to continually proliferate as myocytes, without fusing into myotubes. Myocytes can thus be grown in practically limitless quantities. When the expression of this gene is blocked by a blocking antibody or antisense, myoblasts retain the ability to proliferate and express differentiation markers but fail to fuse into myotubes. Importantly, the effects of blocking this gene are reversible; removal of the inhibitor leads to normal cell cycle withdrawal and fusion of myoblasts into myotubes.

Thus, this gene could play a critical role in muscle regeneration in ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy and muscular dystrophies with tremendous therapeutic implications.

If you would like to receive further information about this technology and potential licensing opportunities, please contact:

Sunita Rajdev, Ph.D.
Licensing Officer
(415) 353-4470 phone
(415) 348-1579 fax
Sunita Rajdev

Reference: OTM Case #SF03-049