The absolute number of circulating CD34 super(+) cells predicts the number of hematopoietic stem cells that can be collected by apheresis

• Published in: Bone marrow transplantation (Basingstoke) Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 509 - 515
• Main Authors: Schots, R, Van Riet, I, Damiaens, S, Flament, J, Lacor, P, Staelens, Y, Steenssens, L, Van Camp, B, De Waele, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1996
• ISSN: 0268-3369

We report our single institution's effort to standardize the method of collecting peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) used for autologous transplantation. PBPC were mobilized by different types of chemotherapy followed by G-CSF (24 patients) or G-CSF alone (six patients) in 30 patients with various underlying neoplastic diseases. A median of three aphereses (range: 2-7), using the CS3000 cell separator was performed and a blood volume of 10 l was processed. We studied the relationship between the absolute numbers of circulating leukocytes, mononuclear cells and CD34 super(+) cells and the amount of PBPC collected during a single apheresis procedure. CD34 super(+) cells were quantified by leukocyte subset analysis based on flow cytometry. Both CFU-GM and CD34 super(+) cell contents of the apheresis products (69 procedures analyzed) correlated strongly: rho = 0.936, P = 0.0001). Regression analysis showed that the total number of CD34 super(+) cells or CFU-GM content of the apheresis products could be predicted (r = 0.915, P = 0.0001) from the absolute number of CD34 super(+) cells in the blood. A number of 10 circulating CD34 super(+) cells per mm super(3) blood ensured a minimum of 0.5 x 10 super(6) CD34 super(+) cells per kg, collected on the same day. Of the 30 patients, 17 received an autologous graft that contained only PBPC in 13. Long-term and complete hematological reconstitution was observed in all patients who had a minimum of 2 x 10 super(6) CD34 super(+) cells per kg reinfused.