Conquering Parkinson's Disease with Skin Cells... "Ties Shoelaces Alone"

Medical staff are transplanting dopamine neurons made from George Lopez's skin cells into Lopez's brain.

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A Korean-American scientist has become the first in the world to treat Parkinson's disease using skin cells. The treatment was successful by transforming the patient's skin cells into dopamine neurons and transplanting them into the brain. This scientist is dedicating himself to follow-up research to establish patient-customized cell therapy as a universal treatment for Parkinson's disease. On the 2nd, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology announced these results regarding the research of Professor Kwangsoo Kim of Harvard Medical School, one of the master's and doctoral graduates of the Department of Life Sciences.

Conquering Parkinson's Disease with Skin Cells

Schematic Diagram of Parkinson's Disease Treatment Using Customized Stem Cells

Professor Kim succeeded in clinically treating Parkinson's disease patients using the world's first 'induced pluripotent stem cell' technology that converts patients' skin cells into dopamine neurons. He stably converted the patient's somatic cells into stem cells, then differentiated them into dopamine cells and transplanted them into the brain. He then observed for two years whether the dopamine cells functioned properly in the brain to determine the clinical success.

This research is the culmination of Professor Kim's more than 20 years of research journey. Starting with developing a technology to produce induced pluripotent stem cells from patient cells without viruses, he elucidated the differentiation mechanism of dopamine neurons and proposed principles for efficient stem cell differentiation. He also identified metabolic changes occurring during the reprogramming process and developed a new reprogramming technology applicable to clinical use, which he applied to Parkinson's disease animal models to demonstrate improvement in Parkinson's symptoms.

He then obtained final approval from the notoriously stringent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and performed transplantation surgery of dopamine neurons derived from the skin of a 69-year-old Parkinson's patient (George Lopez) without immune rejection. After two years of follow-up tests including PET and MRI imaging, he announced the clinical treatment success this May.

Full Support for a Genius Scientist

Professor Kwangsoo Kim, Harvard Medical School (KAIST Overseas Distinguished Chair Professor, Presidential Advisory Committee Member)

Professor Kim was able to achieve these research results thanks to the full support of George Lopez, the Parkinson's patient who was the subject of the clinical treatment.

Lopez was a doctor, businessman, inventor, and a patient suffering from Parkinson's disease. In 2013, he took notice of Professor Kim's research results and said, "Even if I do not benefit, please conduct research to overcome Parkinson's disease," providing full support including research funding. Lopez personally participated in the clinical trial, and Professor Kim succeeded in conquering Parkinson's disease using his skin cells.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, which published Professor Kim's research results, Mr. Lopez was able to tie his shoelaces again without immune rejection after the clinical treatment. His motor skills recovered to the extent that he could swim and ride a bicycle.

Potential Application to Other Intractable Diseases Beyond Parkinson's

Photos of skin cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and dopamine neurons

This research is notable as it is the first case to actually apply personalized stem cell transplantation therapy, which uses the patient's own cells to minimize side effects, to treat Parkinson's disease. Although Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Japan (2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) proposed the induced pluripotent stem cell technology, there had been no successful cases until now. The research team stated, "This suggests the possibility that induced pluripotent stem cell technology can be used to treat various intractable diseases."

Professor Kwangsoo Kim said, "Further clinical trials with more patients are needed to prove safety and efficacy, and we are taking the necessary steps to obtain FDA approval." He added, "If follow-up research continues successfully for about ten more years, personalized cell therapy will become another universal treatment method for Parkinson's disease."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.