PBSC COLLECTION FROM G-CSF PRIMED DONORS

Peripheral blood stems cells (PBSCs) have been used in autologous tran splantation as an alternative to bone marrow-derived cells. Recently, PBSCs have been collected from healthy donors after priming with C-CSF and used for allogeneic transplantation. We have a comparatively larg e experience with PBSC collection in autologous and allogeneic setting s. The five cell separators we employ are: the CS3000 plus, AS 104, Ex cel, Cobe Spectra and MCS 3p. These machines appear to have different efficacies but no studies have been carried out on this topic. In a pr ospective study we have randomly assigned donors to different cell sep arators to evaluate their efficiency. Twenty-five donors underwent the procedure and 50 leukaphereses were carried out. Donors were given 5 mu g kg(-1) d(-1) of recombinant human G-CSF for 3 days and 10 mu g kg (-1) d(-1) for 4 days subcutaneously. Leukaphereses were performed on days 6 and 7 of G-CSF administration. The results of our study show th at a total value of CD34+ cells ranging from 48.44x10(6) to 270.37x10( 6) can be collected from donors with a white cell count ranging from 4 0.50x10(3) mu L-1 to 51.34x10(3) mu L-1 and mononuclear cells ranging from 16.42 to 20.37%. The Excel and the MCS 3p seem to differ from the other machines in terms of higher CD34+ cell collection efficiency. T he Excel appears to be even more efficient than the MCS 3p, but this m ay not reflect reality because the Excel processes 12 L of blood while the MCS 3p employs an 8 L procedure. All the machines showed satisfac tory results in terms of yield and quality of the harvests. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ltd.