Transplantation of amniotic epithelial membranes in patients with mucopolysaccharidoses

This paper reports the biochemical results of transplanting human amniotic epithelial cells in 3 children with Hunter's and 2 with Hurler's disease. A transient and modest increase of alpha-L-idurono-2-sulphate sulphatase or alpha-iduronidase was observed in the white cells collected from 1 patient with Hunter's and 1 with Hurler's disease. No variation in the excretion of glycosaminoglycans or oligosaccharides was detected in all 5 patients. There was no evidence of immune response towards the transplanted cells or the specifically deficient enzyme. Thus, in spite of the absence of the major histocompatibility antigens, HLA A, B, C and DR, on the surface of the amniotic epithelial cells, no long-term correction of lysosomal enzyme deficiencies was achieved by transplanting amniotic epithelial membranes collected at the end of the gestational period.