RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Stem cell transplantation with high dose chemoradiotherapy has made it possible to cure a significant proportion of patients with hematopoietic malignancies. RBC purging is an essential step prior to transplantation in ABO mismatched setting. The purpose of this study is to develop a new simple method for RBC depletion from harvested stem cells. METHODS: Ten cord bloods were collected during deliveries at Kyungpook National University Hospital, Taegu, Korea at August, 1998. All nucleated cells were collected after the compression of bags with 6% hydroxyethyl starch and cord blood for 4 hours. The cell viability of mononucleated cell (MNC) was calculated after 24~72 hours. RESLUTS: The collected mean volume of cord blood was 37.1 +/- 6.7 ml. The WBC count was 10,852 +/- 1,137/microL. The 3.90 +/- 0.62x108 TNC and 1.82 +/- 0.36x108 MNC were obtained per collection. TNC efficiency was 83.8 +/- 7.01% and MNC efficiency was 90.9 +/- 9.23% by compression method with 6% hydroxyethyl starch. RBC contamination was negligible. The cell viabilities of mononuclear cell were kept in a range of 99~100% after 24~72 hours. CONCLUSION: Because compression method with 6% hydroxyethyl starch progresses in closed system is simple & easy, has high erythrocyte depletion efficacy, and can maintain high viability of stem cells, it can be used for RBC purging in ABO mismatched stem cell transplantation.