Validation of short-term handling and storage conditions for marrow and peripheral blood stem cell products.
BACKGROUND
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants from unrelated donors are routinely used in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies. These cellular products are often collected off-site and require transport from the collection site to transplantation centers. However, the effects of transport conditions and media on stem cell graft composition during short-term storage have not been well described.


METHODS
Five bone marrow (BM), four filgrastim-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC), and four nonmobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMNC) products were collected from healthy volunteer donors and stored at 4 or 20°C for up to 72 hours in 10% PlasmaLyte A plus anticoagulants such as 10% acid citrate dextran-A (ACD-A) and/or 10 IU/mL heparin. Products were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours for cellular content, viability, and metabolic activities.


RESULTS
BM products maintained equivalent cell viability when stored at either 4 or 20°C over 72 hours, but cell viability was better maintained for PBSC products stored at 4°C. The mean viable CD34+ cell recovery for PBSC and BM products stored over 72 hours at 4°C was higher than 75%. Significantly lower CD34+ cell and colony-forming unit recoveries were seen in PBSC products but not BM products stored at room temperature. Faster lactic acid accumulation was observed in PBMNC and PBSC products stored without ACD-A.


CONCLUSIONS
Seventy-two-hour storage of BM, PBSC, and PBMNC products at refrigerated temperature maintains optimal cell viability and recovery. Anticoagulation with ACD-A is preferred over heparin to reduce lactic acid accumulation in the product media.
Kao
Grace S
GS
Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. grace_kao@dfci.harvard.edu
Kim
Haesook T
HT
Daley
Heather
H
Ritz
Jerome
J
Burger
Scott R
SR
Kelley
Linda
L
Vierra-Green
Cynthia
C
Flesch
Sue
S
Spellman
Stephen
S
Miller
John
J
Confer
Dennis
D
D002470:Cell Survival; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous