Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network

src: circ.ahajournals.org

Research Network for Cardiovascular Cell Therapy ( CCTRN ) is a network of physicians, scientists and support staff dedicated to studying stem cell therapy to treat heart disease. CCTRN is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and includes expert researchers with experience in cardiovascular care in five stem cell centers in the United States. The goal of the Network is to complete research studies that potentially lead to more effective treatments for patients with cardiovascular disease, and to share knowledge quickly with the health care community.

Video Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network

Mission statement

The mission of CCTRN is to achieve public health advancement for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, through the behavior and dissemination of collaborative research leading to evidence-based treatment options and better outcomes for patients with heart disease.

Maps Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network

Network Components

Sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is one of 27 institutes/centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. NHLBI plans and directs research into the development and evaluation of interventions and tools relating to the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of patients suffering from such diseases and disorders.

Coordinate Center for Clinical Trial

Since 1971, the Coordination Center for Clinical Trial ([1]) at the University of Texas School of Public Health has played a leading role in cardiovascular disease and vision research by serving as a coordinating center for 16 national multicenter clinical trials. The main function of CCCT is to provide and coordinate all operations, procedures, and activities of large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials. CCCT serves as the Data Coordination Center for CCTRN.

Clinical site

CCTRN includes seven stem cell centers in the United States with experience and expertise in clinical trials that study treatment for cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease. These sites include:

• The Minneapolis Institute of Heart Foundation ([2])
• Heart Center Center of the Texas Institute ([3])
• University of Florida College of Medicine ([4])
• Louisville University ([5])
• The Vascular and Heart Center for Adult Stem Cell Therapy (VC-CAST) ([6])
• The University of Miami Miller Medical School ([7])
• Stanford University ([8])

src: www.onlinejacc.org

Work in progress

In July 2008, CCTRN opened enrollment in two studies in patients who had recently had a heart attack: TIME ([9]) and LateTIME ([10]). The purpose of this study was to determine whether safe stem cells taken from the individual bone marrow can be transplanted back into the injured heart muscle of the individual and improve the heart's ability to pump after a heart attack, as well as to determine the best time to transplant the cells after heart attack. The results of both studies were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Meeting in 2011 (LateTIME) and 2012 (TIME), and simultaneously published in JAMA.

In March 2009, CCTRN opened enrollment in a study of heart failure: FOCUS ([11]). The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of injecting bone marrow stem cells into the heart muscle in an attempt to increase blood vessel growth that potentially increases the blood supply at heart failure. The study recruited patients with heart failure, but will no longer benefit from other forms of standard treatment such as surgery or coronary artery repair procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent installation. The results of this study were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in 2012 and published simultaneously in JAMA.

In June 2013, CCTRN opened enrollment in the study of peripheral arterial disease: PACE ([12]). This study is currently registering. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow stem cell therapy in increased blood flow and walking ability in patients with peripheral arterial disease. The study will register 80 patients for one year.

In October 2015, CCTRN opened enrollment in a study of heart failure: CONCERT (NCT02501811). This study is currently registering. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the provision of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and/or C-kit Cardiac Stem Cells (CSCs) for patients with impaired heart muscle damage. It will also help us learn whether these treatments improve heart function for people who are not ideal candidates for other forms of standard therapy such as surgery.

In the first quarter of 2016, CCTRN plans to open enrollment in a study of anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC): SENECA (NCT02509156). This study has not been registered yet. The aim of this study was to determine whether the administration of allergic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to patients with AIC is safe and whether this treatment improves cardiac function.

src: www.onlinejacc.org

References

src: circres.ahajournals.org

External links

• cctrn - UTHealth - School of Public Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• The International Society for Stem Cell Research
• Becoming a Research Volunteer (OHRP)

Source of the article : Wikipedia