ISSN:
1573-7217
Keywords:
stem cells
;
progenitor cells
;
long-term bone marrow cultures
;
occult tumor
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cells as assayedin the mixed colony (CFU-GEMM) assay in humanlong-term bone marrow cultures was compared between normalallogeneic marrow transplantation donor collections and those fromcandidates for high-dose therapy and autologous bone marrowtransplantation (ABMT). To be eligible for ABMT, patientswere required to have a histologically normal appearingbone marrow and therefore any tumor contamination wasat minimal levels and detectable only after evaluationof the cultured harvests. Marrow from 15 normaldonors, 36 patients with breast cancer, and 30patients with Hodgkin's disease was evaluated. The numberof mononuclear cells placed in culture was standardized.In all groups, significantly more progenitor cells wererecovered at 4–6 weeks of culture than at12–14 weeks. At 4–6 and 12–14 weeks, therewere no significant differences in the number ofprogenitor cells recovered from the cultures of normaldonors and tumor negative cultures of breast canceror Hodgkin's disease patients. However, following 4–6 and12–14 weeks of culture, progenitor cell numbers ofcultures which contained breast cancer cells were significantlyhigher than the pooled values for cultures fromthe concurrent normal controls, and those from breastcancer and Hodgkin's disease patients with tumor negativecultures. These results suggest that minimal breast cancercell contamination of the bone marrow can influencethe production of marrow progenitor cells. Exposure toprior chemotherapy or radiation therapy does not appearto be the cause of this effect. Themost likely mechanism is the local production ofcytokines by the tumor cells, although a processinvolving direct adhesive contact of the tumor cellswith hematopoietic cells, which is sometimes observed insemisolid cultures, cannot be excluded.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005732531318
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