SUCCESSFUL UNRELATED BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN BETA-THALASSEMIA

A 16-year-old Sardinian girl affected by homozygous beta-thalassaemia was submitted to allogeneic BMT using an HLA-identical, MLC-negative, unrelated donor, The donor and the patient were homozygous for the ent ire extended haplotype A30, Cw5, B18, F130, DRB10301, DRB3*0202, DQA1 0501, DQB1*0201 and heterozygous for DPB1*0301/DPB1*0202. The conditi oning regimen consisted of 14 mg/kg busulphan and 160mg/kg cyclophosph amide, Engraftment was achieved 14 days from BMT and the haematologica l reconstitution was complete without any signs of acute or chronic GV HD. Seven months after the transplant the patient was in excellent gen eral condition. The hypothesis is advanced that when two HLA extended haplotypes are shared by donors and recipients, particularly in homozy gosity, this is a very favourable immunogenetic condition in unrelated BMT.