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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
A Mouse Model of Vascularized Heterotopic Spleen Transplantation for Studying Spleen Cell Biology and Transplant Immunity
Published on: June 11, 2019
Splenectomy and partial splenectomy improve hematopoietic stem cell engraftment in hypersplenic mice
Elisabeth T Tracy1, Lindsay J Talbot, Joanne Kurtzberg
1Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Insights
Splenectomy before hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation improves engraftment in mice with hypersplenism. This finding suggests splenic resection may benefit children undergoing HSC transplantation.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Transplantation Immunology
- Surgical Research
Background:
- Hypersplenism in children delays hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment post-transplantation, increasing morbidity and healthcare costs.
- Preliminary clinical data indicate splenectomy may enhance HSC engraftment, but this hypothesis lacks animal model validation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of splenectomy in improving HSC engraftment in a murine model of hypersplenism.
Main Methods:
- Erythrocyte protein 4.2 knockout mice, a model for hereditary spherocytosis and hypersplenism, underwent total splenectomy (n=22), partial splenectomy (n=16), or sham laparotomy (n=21).
- Mice received allogeneic bone marrow cells 10 days post-surgery, with engraftment assessed via serial complete blood counts (hemoglobin, neutrophils, platelets).
- Statistical analysis included chi-squared test for engraftment rate and Student's t-test for time to engraftment (P < .05).
Main Results:
- Total splenectomy significantly increased the rate and decreased the time to successful HSC engraftment compared to controls.
- Partial splenectomy significantly reduced the time to HSC engraftment, with a trend towards improved engraftment rates.
Conclusions:
- Partial or total splenectomy prior to HSC transplantation enhances HSC engraftment in a murine model of hypersplenism.
- These findings support the consideration of splenic resection in pediatric patients with hypersplenism awaiting HSC transplantation.
Background:
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment is delayed after transplantation in children with hypersplenism, increasing the morbidity and costs of care. Preliminary clinical data suggest that splenectomy before HSC transplantation may improve HSC engraftment, although this observation has not been tested in an animal model.
Methods:
We performed total splenectomy (n = 22), partial splenectomy (n = 16), or sham laparotomy (n = 21) on erythrocyte protein 4.2 knockout mice, a murine model of hereditary spherocytosis with hypersplenism. After 10 days, we lethally irradiated the mice, transplanted 3 x 10(6) allogeneic bone marrow cells, and then assessed engraftment using serial complete blood counts. Successful engraftment was defined as recovery of hemoglobin, neutrophil, or platelet counts. We compared engraftment rate using chi(2) test and time to engraftment using Student's t test analysis, with significance defined as P < .05.
Results:
Total splenectomy increased the rate of successful HSC engraftment and decreased the interval to HSC engraftment compared with controls. Similarly, partial splenectomy decreased the interval to HSC engraftment, with a nonsignificant trend toward improved overall rate of successful HSC engraftment.
Conclusion:
Partial or total splenectomy before HSC transplantation improves HSC engraftment in hypersplenic mice. This model supports consideration of splenic resection in hypersplenic children requiring HSC transplantation.
