Administration of erythopoietin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in donor/recipient pairs to collect peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and red blood cell units for use in the recipient after allogeneic PBPC transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES It may be useful to reduce the exposure of transplant recipients to homologous blood. This may be achieved by procuring donor-derived red blood cell (RBC) units, collecting more peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) with a combination of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) + recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) and by administering rHuEpo post-transplantation. DESIGN AND METHODS Eight ABO-compatible donors were treated with rHuEpo and intravenous iron to collect 12 RBC units for use in their recipients. PBPC were collected after mobilization with rHuEpo and G-CSF in the same donors. The recipients received G-CSF and rHuEpo post-transplantation. A control group of 10 donor/recipient pairs received G-CSF alone for PBPC mobilization and after the transplantation. RESULTS Eighty-six out of 91 planned RBC units were collected in the donors without significant decrease in hematocrit because of a 4-fold increase in RBC production despite functional iron deficiency. After 2 leukaphereses, the cumulative yields of NC and CFU-GM were lower in the study group while those of BFU-E, CFU-Mix and CD34+ cells were similar. However, erythroid recovery was significantly accelerated in the study group. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS Collection of 12 RBC units within 6 weeks is feasible with rHuEpo and intravenous iron; this strategy allows a dramatic reduction in recipient exposure to homologous blood; rHuEpo has no synergistic effect with G-CSF for mobilization of PBPC in normal donors and may even be deleterious; and rHuEpo in the recipient may enhance erythroid engraftment.