A successful haploidentical bone marrow transplantation method in rabbits: perfusion method plus intra-bone...

Graft versus host disease (GVHD), rejection, delayed immune reconstitution and infections have been significant hurdles to haploidentical BMT. In order to improve the outcome of the current haploidentical-related BMT, we performed a novel BMT method consisting of the perfusion method (PM) plus intra-bone marrow-bone marrow transplantation (IBM-BMT) in a rabbit model. The percentages of T cells in BMCs harvested by the PM and the conventional aspiration method (AM) were 6% and 14%, respectively (p<0.01). Conversely, the CFU-C counts of BMCs in the PM group were significantly higher than those in the AM group. When the BMCs were transplanted into lethally irradiated offspring rabbits by IBM-BMT, hemopoietic recovery in the PM group was faster than in the AM group. The cumulative incidence of acute GVHD was 25% in the PM group versus 75% in the AM group (p<0.05). In addition, the survival rate was 75% in the PM group versus 33% in the AM group (p<0.05). Thus, the new method is able to provide rapid hemopoiesis, reduce the cumulative incidence of acute GVHD, and achieve a higher survival rate. This novel strategy paves the way for new dimensions in haploidentical BMT.