Immunological aspects of haploidentical stem cell transplantation in children

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2001 Jun:938:340-57; discussion 357-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb03602.x.

Abstract

Thirty-eight children with high-risk hematological malignancies underwent transplantation with megadoses of peripheral mobilized CD34+ cells from haploidentical parents (n = 24) or from matched unrelated donors (n = 14). The CD34+ cells were isolated to a purity of > 98% using magnetic-activated cell sorting. This high purity was associated with an almost complete depletion of T lymphocytes. No pharmacological prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) was used, and significant primary GvHD was not seen. A final engraftment was seen in all patients. Sixteen patients are alive and disease-free with a median follow-up of 24 months. The immunological reconstitution was faster in the patients transplanted with CD34+ stem cells from the haploidentical donors compared to the matched unrelated donors, and the transplantation of large numbers of haploidentical CD34+ stem cells seems to be superior to that of the matched unrelated donors. The phenotypical and functional analysis of the immune reconstitution provided some insights into the biology of transplantation of highly purified CD34+ cells. In this article, we summarize our current results with the transplantation of highly purified stem cells and discuss possible implications for further antileukemic post-transplant therapeutic strategies.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
  • Antigens, CD19 / immunology
  • Antigens, CD34 / analysis
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Child
  • Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Graft Survival / immunology
  • HLA Antigens / analysis
  • HLA Antigens / immunology
  • Haplotypes / genetics
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / methods
  • Histocompatibility
  • Histocompatibility Testing / methods
  • Humans
  • Immunomagnetic Separation
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-2 / pharmacology
  • K562 Cells
  • Killer Cells, Natural / classification
  • Killer Cells, Natural / drug effects
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Subsets
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / immunology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / pathology
  • Tissue Donors
  • Transplantation, Homologous / immunology*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Antigens, CD19
  • Antigens, CD34
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • HLA Antigens
  • Interleukin-2