LACK OF EFFICACY OF A SHORT EX-VIVO INCUBATION OF HUMAN ALLOGENEIC DONOR MARROW WITH RECOMBINANT HUMAN GM-CSF PRIOR TO ITS INFUSION INTO THE RECIPIENT

Ten patients with haematological malignancy receiving allogeneic trans plants from donors other than HLA-identical siblings were prepared for marrow transplantation with antithymocyte globulin, cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg and fractionated total body irradiation 12 Gy, and were give n cyclosporin, methotrexate and prednisolone as prophylaxis against gr aft-versus-host disease post-transplant. The harvested T replete donor marrow was incubated with recombinant human (rh) GM-CSF 10 mu g/ml (s upersaturating concentration) for Ih at 37 degrees C on a gently shaki ng rocker platform. After incubation the marrow was washed twice in 5% human serum albumin/normal saline and infused into the recipient. Bef ore and after incubation, there was no significant difference in cell viability, the nucleated cell count, the CFU-GM content nor the propor tion of cells in S phase of the cell cycle. Compared with a preceding cohort of 16 patients treated on the same protocol but in whom the mar row was not incubated with GM-CSF, there was no difference in the inci dence of graft failure or rate of neutrophil recovery.