Autologous infusion of expanded mobilized adult bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells into patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
Recent advances in regenerative medicine, including hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, have brought hope for patients with severe alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of administering autologous expanded mobilized adult progenitor CD34+ cells into the hepatic artery of ALC patients and the potential improvement in the liver function.


METHODS
Nine patients with biopsy-proven ALC, who had abstained from alcohol for at least 6 months, were recruited into the study. Following granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilization and leukapheresis, the autologous CD34+ cells were expanded in vitro and injected into the hepatic artery. All patients were monitored for side effects, toxicities, and changes in the clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters.


RESULTS
On average, a five-fold expansion in cell number was achieved in vitro, with a mean total nucleated cell count (TNCC) of 2.3 x 10(8) pre infusion. All patients tolerated the procedure well, and there were no treatment-related side effects or toxicities observed. There were significant decreases in serum bilirubin (P < 0.05) 4, 8, and 12 wk post infusion. The levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) showed improvement through the study period and were significant (P < 0.05) 1 wk post infusion. The Child-Pugh score improved in 7 out of 9 patients, while 5 patients had improvement in ascites on imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
It is safe to mobilize, expand, and reinfuse autologous CD34+ cells in patients with ALC. The clinical and biochemical improvement in the study group is encouraging and warrants further clinical trials.
Pai
Madhava
M
Department of Surgery, at Hammersmith Campus, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
Zacharoulis
Dimitris
D
Milicevic
Miroslav N
MN
Helmy
Salah
S
Jiao
Long R
LR
Levicar
Natasa
N
Tait
Paul
P
Scott
Michael
M
Marley
Stephen B
SB
Jestice
Kevin
K
Glibetic
Maria
M
Bansi
Devinder
D
Khan
Shahid A
SA
Kyriakou
Despina
D
Rountas
Christos
C
Thillainayagam
Andrew
A
Nicholls
Joanna P
JP
Jensen
Steen
S
Apperley
Jane F
JF
Gordon
Myrtle Y
MY
Habib
Nagy A
NA
D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000502:physiology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018952:Antigens, CD34