Humoral immune function in pediatric patients treated with autologous bone
marrow transplantation for B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The influence of
ex vivo marrow decontamination with anti-Y 29/55 monoclonal antibody and
complement
C Baumgartner, A Morell, A Hirt, U Bucher, HK Forster, JE Doran, L Matter, G Brun del Re and HP Wagner
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Berne, Switzerland.
Elimination of neoplastic B cell populations from autologous bone marrow
grafts also removes normal B lymphocytes. This is potentially hazardous for
the reconstitution of the immune system in patients undergoing high-dose
chemotherapy and total body irradiation followed by autologous marrow
rescue. Five pediatric patients with B cell non- Hodgkin's lymphoma in
first remission undergoing such a regimen were studied. They received bone
marrow pretreated with anti-Y 29/55 monoclonal antibody and complement. B
and T lymphocyte subpopulations reached normal levels within 6 months after
autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT), and serum immunoglobulin
levels became normal within 4 to 9 months. Vaccination with diphtheria and
tetanus toxoid, trivalent poliomyelitis vaccine of the Salk type, and
pneumococcal capsular antigens (38 to 54 months after transplantation) gave
rise to specific antibody production. ABO isoagglutinins could be
demonstrated in all patients. The response pattern was similar to that of
patients who received unmanipulated autologous bone marrow. It is concluded
that ex vivo anti-Y 29/55 depletion of the marrow graft does not induce
relevant disturbances of humoral immune functions.
Volume 71,
Issue 5,
pp. 1211-1217,
05/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
