Stem cells from premature baby umbilical cords protect against damage to brains

Babies born weighing less than 1kg have had stem cells harvested from their umbilical cords for the first time, with scientists then reinjecting the cells into the newborns to protect their brains.

Kellie Huggan and baby Kade, who participated in a clinical stem cell trial. Picture: Aaron Francis

The incidence of brain injury and disability in extremely premature babies could be markedly reduced in future after a groundbreaking study established that stem cells could be harvested from the umbilical cords of babies born prior to 28 weeks.

Stem cells from the umbilical cord blood of babies has shown strong promise as a treatment for neonatal brain injury in preclinical models and early-phase clinical trials, but until now scientists were not sure if they could collect enough of the precious cells from the cord of very tiny babies, who face the highest risk of brain injury and disability later in life.

Up to 40 per cent of extremely premature babies face a risk of long-term developmental issues and learning and behavioural issues such as autism and ADHD. The disability suffered is usually mild to moderate but can occasionally be severe.

“Many of these babies get ventilated, many … get drips put in, get procedures done, all those things put those fragile little brains at risk of problems – bleeding into the brain, loss of blood supply into the brain, scarring into the brain,” said Atul Malhotra, a professor within Monash University’s School of Clinical Sciences.

In a recent human trial at Monash Children’s Hospital, led by Monash researcher Lindsay Zhou, scientists took cord blood from 38 infants born before 28 weeks gestation. The babies had an average birth weight of 761.5 grams. The researchers were able to collect an average of 19ml/kg of cord blood from these preterm babies, which is similar to term babies by body weight. The procedure was successful in 72 per cent of cases.

The findings have been published in the journal Cytotherapy.

“This is a landmark paper, because for the first time … someone has tried to collect blood from these extremely preterm infants,” said Professor Malhotra, who supervised the research. “These are the blood cells which were helping the baby grow inside the womb, but because the pregnancy has been curtailed, the babies miss out on the cells, which may be of really great benefit.”

The Monash scientists harvested stem cells from the cord blood from the premature babies, and reinjected the stem cells as part of a safety study. Once it has been proved the process is safe, a randomised control trial will begin to test the efficacy of the stem cell treatment, and the premature babies’ cord blood will be used in the Cord-Safe study under way at Monash Children’s.

That study is investigating the feasibility and safety of administering babies’ own cord blood cells.

Professor Malhotra said the reason stem cells could provide protection for very premature babies’ brains was because of the chemicals they secrete, which are known as trophic factors. “These trophic factors may help the brain either protect itself from injury or if injuries happen, may mitigate or dampen the amount of inflammation or injury which might be happening because of … being born very early,” he said.

One baby who had stem cells taken from his cord blood was Kade Huggan, born in October at just 24 weeks, weighing 632 grams. Kade had to be intubated after birth and endured collapsed lungs, multiple infections and three blood transfusions.

Mum Kellie said she did not hesitate when offered the opportunity to be in the Monash trial. “Any intervention to help these microprems, I’m all for it,” she said. “You just want to give them the best possible chance of life.”

Kade has had his cord blood stem cells returned via infusion and been discharged from NICU weighing 3.35kg.