Method of enhancing proliferation and/or hematopoietic differentiation of stem cells

Patent Number: 7,427,603

The use of hematopoietic stem cells for numerous conditions has been around for decades, originally of course in the form of allogeneic bone marrow transplant, and more recently various variations such as autologous transplantation, autologous transplantation and purging, and autologous transplantation for non-hematopoietic conditions such as cardiac infarction. 

One of the limiting factors of hematopoietic stem cell therapy is methods of expanding these cells.  Patents exist for methods of expansion of hematopoietic stem cells using approaches ranging from administration of plant extracts (#7,419,690), to co-culture with activated T cells (#7,048,922), to treatment with chelating agents (# 7,344,881).

The current patent teaches the expansion of stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, by introduction of a gene encoding CDX-4.  This gene is essential for animals to form hematopoietic stem cells, as was published by the laboratory of the inventor (Wang et al. Cdx gene deficiency compromises embryonic hematopoiesis in the mouse. PNAS 2008 Jun 3;105(22):7756-61).

What is CDX4?  It is a member of the caudal-related transcription factor family, which is involved in anterior-posterior patterning during embryogenesis.  Part of its activities are mediated through regulation of Hox genes. 

The patent is of great interest because in addition to covering increasing hematopoiesis through transfection of CDX-4, it also covers the use of peptides derived from this transcription factor, which arguably would have less regulatory hurdles.

View this patent on the USPTO website.