Pathogen reduction of fresh plasma using riboflavin and ultraviolet light: effects on plasma coagulation proteins.

Background: Treatment with riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light reduces the pathogens present in blood components. This study assessed changes to the coagulation proteins that had occurred during this treatment of fresh plasma units before freezing.

Study Design And Methods: Twenty fresh plasma units (230 +/- 30 mL) were treated by the Mirasol process (CaridianBCT Biotechnologies) and frozen within 8 hours of donation.

Human platelets as a substrate source for the in vitro amplification of the abnormal prion protein (PrP) associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Background: Four recent cases of transfusion-related transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) highlight the need to develop a highly sensitive and specific screening test to detect infectivity in the blood of asymptomatic infected individuals. Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), a method for the amplification of minute amounts of disease-associated abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) to readily detectable levels, could be incorporated into such a test provided that a suitable substrate source for routine use in human PMCA reactions can be found.

Study Design And Methods: With the use of seed sources from individuals with variant and sporadic CJD, the use of human platelets (PLTs) as a PMCA substrate source was evaluated.

Freezing of buffy coat-derived, leukoreduced platelet concentrates in 6 percent dimethyl sulfoxide.

Background: There has recently been renewed interest in freezing platelets (PLTs) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for the treatment of major traumatic injuries, especially in military situations. This study examined PLTs that were frozen in small volumes of 6 percent DMSO at -80 degrees C.

Study Design And Methods: Buffy coat-derived pooled leukoreduced PLT concentrates were frozen in 6 percent DMSO and stored at -80 degrees C.

The effect of methylene blue photoinactivation and methylene blue removal on the quality of fresh-frozen plasma.

Background: T: he effects of using fresh or frozen-thawed plasma, WBC reduction of plasma before freezing, and the use of two different methylene blue (MB) removal filters on the quality of MB-treated plasma were compared.

Study Design And Methods: In a paired study (n = 11/arm) plasma was frozen within 8 hours of collection, thawed, MB photoinactivated, and then filtered using one of two MB removal filters. Fresh plasma (n = 16) and plasma WBC reduced before freezing (n = 19) were MB inactivated.