In utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with haploidentical donor adult bone marrow in a canine model.
OBJECTIVE
Chimerism can be achieved in a canine model of in utero bone marrow transplantation with > or =1 x 10(8) CD34(+) haploidentical donor cells per kilogram without graft-versus-host disease.


METHODS
In utero bone marrow transplantation was performed by ultrasound-guided intraperitoneal infusion in 30- to 41-day-old canines with CD34(+) selected cells from paternal bone marrow at doses of 1.3 x 10(8) to 2.5 x 10(10) CD34(+) cells/kg. A method for marking control littermates was developed with intraperitoneal ethiodol. Postnatal studies included histologic, fluorescent in situ hybridization canine Y probe, and polymerase chain reaction-based chimerism analyses.


RESULTS
Term survival was 86% to 100% for transplantations > or =34 days versus 14% and 43% at 30 and 31 days. Microchimerism (<1%) was demonstrated in tissues from 4 informative litters that included thymus, liver, skin, spleen, and intestine. Neither gestational age nor donor CD34 cell dosage altered the level of engraftment in these experiments. There was no evidence of graft-versus-host disease.


CONCLUSIONS
In utero bone marrow transplantation in a canine model achieves microchimerism with high CD34(+) cell doses.
Blakemore
Karin
K
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287-1228, USA. kblakem@jhmi.edu
Hattenburg
Catherine
C
Stetten
Gail
G
Berg
Karin
K
South
Sarah
S
Murphy
Kathleen
K
Jones
Richard
R
D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000276:immunology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy*; D006085:Graft Survival; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011247:Pregnancy; D018183:Transplantation Chimera / Q000196:embryology*
D018952:Antigens, CD34