The processing of human bone marrow for cryopreservation and reinfusion

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Hematology
• Cryobiology

Background:

• Bone marrow transplantation is a critical supportive care measure for patients with solid tumors.
• Efficient cryopreservation and recovery of bone marrow cells are essential for successful transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate methods for concentrating bone marrow cells for cryopreservation.
• To assess the efficacy of cryopreservation and thawing procedures for bone marrow.
• To identify methods to mitigate cell clumping during the thawing process.

Main Methods:

• Bone marrow aspiration from 22 solid tumor patients.
• Concentration of mononuclear cells using the Haemonetics pheresis procedure.
• Cryopreservation in 10% DMSO, followed by thawing and processing to remove cryoprotectant and hemoglobin.
• Acidification of thawed marrow to pH 6.65 to prevent cell clumping.

Main Results:

• The Haemonetics pheresis procedure yielded the highest concentration of mononuclear cells.
• Cryopreservation resulted in immediate cell recovery of 66% with 50% viability.
• Acidification to pH 6.65 effectively retarded cell clumping during thawing.
• Mean viable mononuclear cells per kilogram for reinfusion was 5.5 x 10^7.

Conclusions:

• Optimized bone marrow processing, including acidification, can improve cell recovery and viability post-cryopreservation.
• This method provides a viable source of mononuclear cells for potential reinfusion in cancer patients.
• Further research is warranted to refine cryopreservation techniques for hematopoietic stem cells.