Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

T Lymphocyte CFU After ABMT 701
Sixty-nine T-lymphocyte colony cultures were performed in 20 patients
from 1 to 51 months after autologous transplantation (Table 2). In 40 cultures
no growth was observed. In 29 instances where growth occurred, the mean
number of T colonies was lower than that observed for normal controls. These
results are summarized in Table 2.
Seventeen cultures derived from eight different patients were analyzed in
the absence or presence of r!12. No difference was observed between cultures
containing 25 or 50 Ü of rlL2. Results are summarized in Figure 2. In six cases
where no growth was observed, adding rIL2 to the cultures resulted in five of
six showing T colonies (424 ± 160; mean ± SEM). In 11 cases the T-colony
number (783 ± 130) increased by 11356 after the addition of rIL2 (1675 ±
175). These results are irrespective of CMV infection status (Fig 2).
DISCUSSION
Our data illustrate profound and prolonged abnormalities of T lymphocyte
phenotypes and T lymphocyte-proliferation capacity after ABMT. In all
patients, T4 lymphocyte values persist below normal up to 1 year after
transplantation, while total lymphocyte, T lymphocyte, and T8 lymphocyte
values quickly (after 2 months) recover to normal or even elevated values.
T lymphocyte-proliferation capacity, investigated by lymphocyte colonyformation
technique, was decreased for prolonged periods, as long as 28
months. In vitro addition of r!L2 can restore T lymphocyte colony-formation
capacity. Nevertheless, the values obtained after adding rlL2 remained below
normal in most cases. Thus, 1L2 restores T colony-formation capacity after
ABMT as it has been reported to do after allogeneic transplantation (4).
Therefore GVHD is not the explanation for this phenomenon. Viral infections,
Table 2. PHA-Stimulated T Cell Colony Formation
No. of ABMT Mean ± SEM a
Months After Recipients No. of No of Colonies
AMBT Studied Growth (%) When Growth
1-3 26 16 (62) 311 ±151
4-6 15 11 (73) 684 ± 257
7-12 13 5 (38) 764 ± 234
13-24 8 7 (87.5) 1024 ± 214
25-51 7 1 (14) 638 ± 275
69 40 (58)
"Control colony values = 3493 ± 217.
Abbreviations: PHA, phytohemagglutinin; ABMT, autologous bone marrow
transplantation.