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Updated: May 18, 2026
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Ex Vivo Expansion of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Human Umbilical Cord Blood-derived CD34+ Cells Using Valproic Acid
Published on: April 11, 2019
Paediatric umbilical cord blood transplantation
1Department of Haematology, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12.
Irish Medical Journal
|September 15, 2012
Summary
Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) is a viable option for patients lacking a matched adult donor. This study shows UCBT offers good engraftment potential with manageable toxicity when sufficient stem cell doses are used.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an increasingly utilized source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation.
- UCB offers rapid availability and serves as an alternative when HLA-matched adult donors are unavailable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the characteristics and outcomes of 15 patients undergoing UCBT in Ireland between 1998 and 2009.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of UCBT in a European cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 15 UCBT cases performed between 1998 and 2009.
- Data collection on cell doses, engraftment times, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and survival outcomes.
Main Results:
- Median total nucleated cell dose: 6.5 x 10^7 cells/kg; median CD34+ dose: 1.8 x 10^5 cells/kg.
- Median neutrophil recovery: 30 days; median platelet recovery: 46.5 days.
- 33.3% developed acute cutaneous GVHD (Grade I-II); 5 deaths occurred (3 transplant-related toxicity, 2 leukemic relapse).
Conclusions:
- UCBT provides a high chance of engraftment with acceptable toxicity when adequate stem cell doses are administered.
- UCBT is a favorable option for selected patients lacking suitable bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell donors.
- This study supports UCBT as a valuable alternative in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
