Phenotypic and functional comparison of monocytes from cord blood and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized
1Institute for Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital, Moorenstrasse 5, Bldg. 14.80, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. rsorg@itz.uni-duesseldorf.de
Objective:
It is well established that T cells are effector cells in graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), yet the contribution of graft monocytes is less well characterized. Therefore, monocytes in cord blood (CB) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized apheresis products (G-AP), two stem cell grafts associated with reduction of acute and chronic GVHD and relative reduction of acute GVHD, respectively, were compared phenotypically and functionally.
Materials And Methods:
The frequencies, phenotypes, and pinocytosis activities of monocytes from CB and G-AP were determined by flow cytometry and their allostimulatory potential in a primary mixed leukocyte reaction.
Results:
G-AP contained significantly more monocytes than CB (24.9% +/- 7.1% vs 8.8% +/- 1.5% CD14+ and 62.4 +/- 27.5 x 10(6) vs 0.9 +/- 0.2 x 10(6) CD14+ cells/mL). Monocytes from both sources revealed similar phenotypes. They expressed CD4, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD18, CD32, CD33, CD45R0, CD48, CD50, CD54, CD58, CD64, CD86, CD102, CD116, CD123, and HLA-DR; showed no expression of CD1a and CD83; and weak expression of CD16, CD45RA, and CD80. The levels of CD80 and CD86 expression were comparable; however, in contrast to G-AP monocytes, CB monocytes lacked CD40. There was no difference in pinocytosis activity and allostimulatory capacity of CB and G-AP monocytes.
Conclusions:
Monocytes in CB and G-AP are phenotypically and functionally comparable. The only difference observed is the lack of CD40 on CB monocytes.
