Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TAIPEI2249
2006-06-30 01:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
SARS BREAKTHROUGH--LUNG STEM CELLS KEY TO FINDING
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UNCLAS TAIPEI 002249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/IHA; HHS FOR ERIKA ELVANDER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED TBIO TW
SUBJECT: SARS BREAKTHROUGH--LUNG STEM CELLS KEY TO FINDING
CURE
REF: 05 TAIPEI 02575
UNCLAS TAIPEI 002249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/IHA; HHS FOR ERIKA ELVANDER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED TBIO TW
SUBJECT: SARS BREAKTHROUGH--LUNG STEM CELLS KEY TO FINDING
CURE
REF: 05 TAIPEI 02575
1. (U) SUMMARY: Taiwan medical researchers have demonstrated
the existence of lung stem cells and identified them as a
critical target for infection by the SARS virus. This
research may result in a vaccine being developed to counter
SARS. END SUMMARY
2. (U) John Yu is a US citizen resarcher currently affiliated
with the Genomics Research Center and the Institute of
Cellular and Organism Biology of Academia Sinica (Taiwan's
premier scientific research institute) told AIT that during
the SARS outbreak of 2003 he observed that patients infected
with SARS went into a peak infection period 10 days after
contracting the disease, yet it took 3 weeks from initial
contact before the lethal virus caused lung failure.
According to Yu, the lag time is precisely the time needed
for lung stem cells to grow new cells. SARS attacked the
embryonic stem cells at this juncture and prevented the
generation of new stem cells thereby dealing a knockout blow
to some patient's ability to recover.
3. (U) Yu told AIT that before this discovery, lung failure
was usually treated with anti-cancer medication. This
treatment only addressed the symptoms but did not cure the
underlying problem. His findings have been published in the
authoritative Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
in Washington DC. Yu said that the next stage after the lung
stem cell discovery is to try to grow enough of the stem
cells so that a vaccine can be developed to counter SARS.
KEEGAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/IHA; HHS FOR ERIKA ELVANDER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED TBIO TW
SUBJECT: SARS BREAKTHROUGH--LUNG STEM CELLS KEY TO FINDING
CURE
REF: 05 TAIPEI 02575
1. (U) SUMMARY: Taiwan medical researchers have demonstrated
the existence of lung stem cells and identified them as a
critical target for infection by the SARS virus. This
research may result in a vaccine being developed to counter
SARS. END SUMMARY
2. (U) John Yu is a US citizen resarcher currently affiliated
with the Genomics Research Center and the Institute of
Cellular and Organism Biology of Academia Sinica (Taiwan's
premier scientific research institute) told AIT that during
the SARS outbreak of 2003 he observed that patients infected
with SARS went into a peak infection period 10 days after
contracting the disease, yet it took 3 weeks from initial
contact before the lethal virus caused lung failure.
According to Yu, the lag time is precisely the time needed
for lung stem cells to grow new cells. SARS attacked the
embryonic stem cells at this juncture and prevented the
generation of new stem cells thereby dealing a knockout blow
to some patient's ability to recover.
3. (U) Yu told AIT that before this discovery, lung failure
was usually treated with anti-cancer medication. This
treatment only addressed the symptoms but did not cure the
underlying problem. His findings have been published in the
authoritative Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
in Washington DC. Yu said that the next stage after the lung
stem cell discovery is to try to grow enough of the stem
cells so that a vaccine can be developed to counter SARS.
KEEGAN