title: Fusion of circulating blood cells with solid-organ tissue cells in clinical stem cell transplants: a potential therapeutic model?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In female patients who have undergone sex-mismatched peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, solid-organ tissue cells have been identified that carry the Y-chromosome. How genetic material from circulating cells is acquired by solid-organ tissue cells is debated. The purpose of this study was to provide clinical evidence for cell fusion between circulating cells and solid-organ tissue cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical model was a male-into-female blood stem cell transplantation setting using the Y-chromosome as a blood-derived cell marker and the patient's BCR/ABL fusion gene. Endometrial cells were chosen as the target cells because of their uniquely female genotype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Y-chromosome and the BCR/ABL fusion gene were identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization and were colocalized with estrogen receptor-staining endometrial cells. Both donor-derived Y-chromosome and patient-derived fusion gene were identified in the same endometrial cells, thereby indicating cell fusion as the mechanism for genetic material transfer in a clinical setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings contribute to our understanding of how blood-derived cells interact with solid-organ tissue cells.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Unit 423, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA. mkorblin@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Körbling
authors.forename: Marcos J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Abha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Amer M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Juri G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gelovani
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Broaddus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002459:Cell Fusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008954:Models, Biological; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation