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Preparation and Pathogen Inactivation of Double Dose Buffy Coat Platelet Products using the INTERCEPT Blood System
Published on: December 7, 2012
Low cytokine contamination in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates without filtration
W A Flegel1, M Wiesneth, D Stampe
1Department of Transfusion Medicine, University of Ulm, Germany.
Insights
Platelet concentrates from buffy coats contain minimal cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, -6, -8, and tumor necrosis factor) after 5 days of storage. Filtration is unnecessary for reducing cytokine exposure in these platelet products.
Area of Science:
- Transfusion Medicine
- Hematology
- Immunology
Background:
- Cytokines like IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF from white cells in stored platelets can cause febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions.
- A discrepancy in febrile reaction rates observed at the authors' center prompted an investigation into cytokine levels in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the levels of key cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF) in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates during storage.
- To assess the necessity of prestorage filtration for reducing cytokine levels in these platelet products.
Main Methods:
- Platelet concentrates were produced from buffy coats using a standard large-scale process involving soft-spin separation.
- Cytokine levels (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF) were quantified using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).
Main Results:
- After 5 days of storage at 22°C, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF were undetectable or below the detection limit in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates.
- Prestorage filtration did not significantly alter cytokine levels.
- Control experiments confirmed the assay's ability to detect cytokines after exogenous addition or LPS exposure.
Conclusions:
- Buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates can be essentially free of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF during 5 days of storage.
- Prestorage filtration is not required to minimize recipient cytokine exposure from these platelet concentrates.
Background:
Cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]) generated by white cells during the storage of platelet concentrates can cause febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions. The high rate of febrile reactions reported in other studies was not observed in the patients in the authors' center. This discrepancy prompted the determination of cytokine levels in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates.
Study Design And Methods:
Platelet concentrates were produced from buffy coats by a standard large-scale production process. Buffy coats were separated from the red cell and plasma components, and then platelets were recovered from the buffy coats by a soft-spin procedure. Levels of cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF) were determined with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Results:
In platelet concentrates produced by the buffy coat method, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF were observed at or below the detection limit of current enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays after 5 days' storage at 22 +/- 2 degrees C. Therefore, prestorage filtration had no measurable effect on cytokine levels. In controls, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF were quantitatively detected after exogenous addition of recombinant cytokines or exposure to lipopolysaccharide.
Conclusion:
Platelet concentrates prepared from buffy coats may be virtually free of cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF) during 5 days of storage. Filtration is not required to reduce the recipient's cytokine exposure via such platelet concentrates.
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