[Umbilical cord hematopoietic progenitor cells bank]. / Banco de células progenitoras hematopoyéticas de cordón umbilical.

Transplantation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) from bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood is a standard therapy in malignant and non malignant diseases. The lack of suitable donors is an important limitation. The discovery that umbilical cord blood (CB) contains high numbers of HPC that can be used as an alternative source for allogeneic stem cell transplantation led ITMO to establish BANCEL, the first Argentine and Latinoamerican experience of its kind. The blood remaining in the umbilical cord and in the placenta was requested from women who were in the last quarter of pregnancy. An informed consent together with a medical record focused on family disease was completed. Out of 65 donations, 55 (85%) were collected and 51 (78%) were cryopreserved. Mean collected volume was 110 ml with 68% (75 ml) reduction and mean cryopreservation of 35 ml; ABO and Rh blood group systems were determined, HLA, class I, A and B loci, and class II, DR locus were typed by molecular biology methods using PCR-SSOP. Infectious disease screening was carried out for brucellosis, syphilis, Chagas, hepatitis B and C, HIV I and II, HTLV I and II, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. Two positive units for hepatitis B (anticore) and two positive units for Chagas were discarded. The quantity of total nucleated cells (TNC), CD34+ cells and the clonogenic capacity were determined twice at the collection and after the procedures of volume reduction previous to cryopreservation. A 5% reduction in both TNC and CD34 cells and a 10% in the colony forming units (CFU) were detected. A good correlation coefficient between TNC and CFU was obtained.

Banco de células progenitoras hematopoyéticas de cordón umbilical. / [Umbilical cord hematopoietic progenitor cells bank]

Transplantation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) from bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood is a standard therapy in malignant and non malignant diseases. The lack of suitable donors is an important limitation. The discovery that umbilical cord blood (CB) contains high numbers of HPC that can be used as an alternative source for allogeneic stem cell transplantation led ITMO to establish BANCEL, the first Argentine and Latinoamerican experience of its kind. The blood remaining in the umbilical cord and in the placenta was requested from women who were in the last quarter of pregnancy. An informed consent together with a medical record focused on family disease was completed. Out of 65 donations, 55 (85

) were collected and 51 (78

) were cryopreserved. Mean collected volume was 110 ml with 68

(75 ml) reduction and mean cryopreservation of 35 ml; ABO and Rh blood group systems were determined, HLA, class I, A and B loci, and class II, DR locus were typed by molecular biology methods using PCR-SSOP. Infectious disease screening was carried out for brucellosis, syphilis, Chagas, hepatitis B and C, HIV I and II, HTLV I and II, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. Two positive units for hepatitis B (anticore) and two positive units for Chagas were discarded. The quantity of total nucleated cells (TNC), CD34+ cells and the clonogenic capacity were determined twice at the collection and after the procedures of volume reduction previous to cryopreservation. A 5

reduction in both TNC and CD34 cells and a 10

in the colony forming units (CFU) were detected. A good correlation coefficient between TNC and CFU was obtained.

The first report of familial adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in Argentina.

Here we describe two Caucasian brothers who developed adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), within a short period of time. These two patients have never left Argentina. Their parents are dead and according to the family history it is possible that the mother may have been affected by spastic paraparesis. The daughters reported that their mother had suffered from increasing difficulty in walking for many years which finally made it impossible for to her walk. There are no other data to support the presumptive diagnosis. One of the patients presented with acute disease while the other had a lymphoma type disorder. Both were positive for HTLV 1. The first patient died with disease progression ten months after diagnosis and the second is in partial remission 13 months after diagnosis. Immunophenotyping showed CD4+, CD5+, CD3+, CD2+, CD8 (-). Two asymptomatic brothers with positive HTLV 1 serology were detected. This is the first family case that has been reported in Argentina.

Graft versus host disease in autologous stem cell transplantation.

Relapse remains the major cause of mortality in haematological malignancies treated with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Graft versus tumour reaction (GVT) associated to autologous graft versus host disease (GVDH) may contribute to eliminate minimal residual disease (MRD) after ASCT. Eighty patients with several diagnostics were submitted to ASCT. After stem cell infusion, patients randomised in 4 groups. Groups were treated as follows: Group A received either a IFN (alpha Interferon--1,000,000 U/d), Cyclosporine A (CSA--1 mg/-kg/d intravencus) for 28 days, and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF-250/m2/d) until engraftment; B: CSA (same dose and way) and GM-CSF; C: CSA (1 mg/kg/d orally) and GM-CSF and D: only GM-CSF. Patients were inspected daily and if skin rash was detected, a skin biopsy was obtained at that moment, otherwise biopsies were obtained at day 21 after ASCT. GVHD was positive in 23 patients (13 from group A and 10 from group B). All cases were grades I and II. A majority of CD4+ T lymphocytes was seen in skin infiltrates. No significant differences were seen in WBC and platelets engraftment times, antibiotic administration or hospitalisation days required among the four groups. With a median follow up of 18 months, there were no differences in disease free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) between the patients who developed GVHD and the others. However, considering that myeloma cells do not express antigen MCH II, which is necessary for GVT effect, we excluded patients with multiple myeloma (MM) from survival analysis, thus obtaining a significant difference in OS results between patients who developed GVHD and those in whom this reaction was not observed (81% vs 58% p:0.05). We conclude that pharmacological induction of GVHD in ASCT is possible with CSA administration (1 mg/kg/d i.v.). Development of GVHD showed a better outcome for patients in our study except for those patients with MM. This results must be confirmed by a longer follow up of our patients and further studies.

[Bone marrow transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia]. / Transplante de médula ósea en leucemia mieloide crónica.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is an oncohematological disease characterized by a clonal proliferation concerning the primitive hematopoietic cell. A typical cytogenetic alteration known as Philadelphia Chromosome (Ph1), a 9:22 chromosomic translocation which produces a hybrid gene BCR/ABL, is present in 95% of the patients. Nineteen CML patients (9 female and 10 male) underwent Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT). Median age was 32 years (range 9 to 47); 15 of them were in chronic phase (CP), and 4 in accelerated phase (AP). At diagnosis, all patients were Ph1+, BCR/ABL+. The conditioning regimen consisted of busulphan and cyclophosphamide while patients in AP received etoposide as well. Seventeen patients received cyclosporine A, methotrexate and methylprednisone as prophylaxis for Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) while 2 patients received only the first two drugs. The 9.22 translocation was determined by means of RT-PCT technique using the primers NB1+, Abl3, B2A, CA3 and A2. The sensitivity of the method was 1 x 10(-6). Among the 19 patients who entered the protocol, 14 are alive and in clinical, hematological and cytogenetic remission (Ph1-) and 3 patients died due to acute GVHD, 1 due to graft failure and 1 due to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Of the 4 transplanted patients in AP, 3 are alive and in complete remission. The patients had a 74% survival, with a median follow-up of 655 days. Complete hematopoietic chimerism was demonstrated in 16 patients, with the study of 3 loci, D1S80, APO B and D17S30. No relationship was found between post BMT hybrid BCR/ABL (RT.PCR) persistence and disease relapse; the presence of acute and/or chronic GVHD did not influence the BCR/ABL positivity. In our experience, BMT has proved to be the only therapeutic alternative for CML with complete clinical, hematological and cytogenetic remission and a mean survival of 74%, comparable to the international experience.

Transplante de médula ósea en leucemia mieloide crónica. / [Bone marrow transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia]

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is an oncohematological disease characterized by a clonal proliferation concerning the primitive hematopoietic cell. A typical cytogenetic alteration known as Philadelphia Chromosome (Ph1), a 9:22 chromosomic translocation which produces a hybrid gene BCR/ABL, is present in 95

of the patients. Nineteen CML patients (9 female and 10 male) underwent Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT). Median age was 32 years (range 9 to 47); 15 of them were in chronic phase (CP), and 4 in accelerated phase (AP). At diagnosis, all patients were Ph1+, BCR/ABL+. The conditioning regimen consisted of busulphan and cyclophosphamide while patients in AP received etoposide as well. Seventeen patients received cyclosporine A, methotrexate and methylprednisone as prophylaxis for Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) while 2 patients received only the first two drugs. The 9.22 translocation was determined by means of RT-PCT technique using the primers NB1+, Abl3, B2A, CA3 and A2. The sensitivity of the method was 1 x 10(-6). Among the 19 patients who entered the protocol, 14 are alive and in clinical, hematological and cytogenetic remission (Ph1-) and 3 patients died due to acute GVHD, 1 due to graft failure and 1 due to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Of the 4 transplanted patients in AP, 3 are alive and in complete remission. The patients had a 74

survival, with a median follow-up of 655 days. Complete hematopoietic chimerism was demonstrated in 16 patients, with the study of 3 loci, D1S80, APO B and D17S30. No relationship was found between post BMT hybrid BCR/ABL (RT.PCR) persistence and disease relapse; the presence of acute and/or chronic GVHD did not influence the BCR/ABL positivity. In our experience, BMT has proved to be the only therapeutic alternative for CML with complete clinical, hematological and cytogenetic remission and a mean survival of 74

, comparable to the international experience.

Complete response in severe thrombotic microangiopathy post bone marrow transplantation (BMT-TM) after multiple plasmaphereses.

A 44-year-old male with Ph+ chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) underwent histoidentical allogeneic bone marrow transplantation 18 months after initial diagnosis. He received pretransplant conditioning with busulphan and cyclophosphamide (Bucy). GVHD prophylaxis consisted of methotrexate, cyclosporine (CsA) and methylprednisolone. On day +50, he developed a microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia with indirect bilirubinaemia, 10% fragmented red cells (FC) and an elevated LDH (1213 U/l: normal range 100-185 U/l). Clinical symptoms consisted of edema and hypertension. The patient was not febrile and had no neurological changes. A clinical diagnosis of severe (grade 4) multifactorial (acute GVHD, CMV infection and cyclosporine) BMT-TM was made. He responded following 19 plasma exchanges with replacement with fresh frozen plasma.

Multivariate analyses of prognostic factors associated with hematopoietic recovery in autograft patients with different sources of progenitor cells. A GATMO experience. Argintine Group of Bone Marrow Transplant.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in a multivariate analysis the prognostic factors associated with hematopoietic recovery and the supportive care requirements after autotransplant of progenitor cells (PC) from various sources: bone marrow (BMPC), BMPC & peripheral blood (PBPC), and PBPC alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 570 patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors underwent high-dose therapy followed by autotransplant. PBPC were obtained after mobilization with chemotherapy and/or cytokines. One-hundred five patients received BMPC, 217 received BMPC & PBPC and 248 PBPC alone; all of the patients received G-CSF or GM-CSF after infusion. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis the recovery of neutrophils was adversely associated with low numbers of nucleated cells infused (P < 0.13), bone marrow progenitor cell source, and diagnosis of multiple myeloma and acute leukemia (P < 0.001). The factors that adversely affected platelet recovery were low number of nucleated cells and diagnosis of multiple myeloma and acute leukemia (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that BMPC adversely affect neutrophil recovery while low numbers of nucleated cells and diagnosis of multiple myeloma and acute leukemia adversely affect both neutrophil and platelet recovery.

[Adult HTLV-I positive leukemia-lymphoma in Argentina]. / Leucemia-linfoma T del adulto HTLV-I positiva en Argentina.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is associated with adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP/HAM) in endemic and non-endemic areas. Serological studies have shown that HTLV-I is prevalent in some Latin American countries such as Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Perú and Uruguay. We describe here the clinical and laboratory features of five cases of ATLL diagnosed in Argentina. All patients (4 males, 1 female; median age 48.2 years) were of caucasian origin; 4 born in Argentina and 1 in Chile. High risk factors for HTLV-I infection were not apparent in Argentina patients, whereas the Chilean resident, who was a promiscuous heterosexual, travelled through Chile frequently. Positive results for antibodies to HTLV-I were detected in all five cases and in some of their relatives. This report suggests that HTLV-I infection may be endemic in, Argentina where TSP has also been described.

Vindesine, prednisone, and daunomycin in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in relapse.

Patients with resistant or recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia were treated with vindesine 3 mg/m2/IV weekly X 4, daunomycin 25 mg/m2/IV weekly X 4, and prednisone 40 mg/m2/PO daily X 28. Seventeen (44%) of 38 evaluable patients achieved complete remission. Fifty-one percent of 31 patients in first relapse achieved complete remission, while only one of five in second or third relapse and neither of two resistant to first induction achieved complete remission. The major toxicity was hematologic. The median duration of complete remission was only 6 weeks and median survival from start of the study, 3 months, with 22% patients remaining alive at 10 months. We conclude that the vindesine, prednisone, and daunomycin combination is no more effective than vincristine, prednisone, and daunomycin in achieving remission of relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, and is more toxic than the latter regimen.