Allogeneic stem cell transplantation using lymphoablative rather than myeloablative conditioning regimen for relapsed or refractory lymphomas.

In relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) provides graft-versus-lymphoma activity resulting in fewer incidences of relapse. However, therapy-related mortality (TRM) remains an important challenge. We attempted to introduce our reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen.

Bone marrow-derived progenitor cells in de novo liver regeneration in liver transplant.

The study was designed (1) to examine the hypothesis that circulating progenitor cells play a role in the process of de novo regeneration in human liver transplants and that these cells arise from a cell population originating in, or associated with, the bone marrow and (2) to investigate whether the transplanted liver volume has an effect on the circulating recipient-derived progenitor cells that generate hepatocytes during this process. Clinical data and liver tissue characteristics were analyzed in male individuals who underwent sex-mismatched adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation using dual left lobe grafts. Dual left lobe grafts were examined at the time of transplantation and 19 to 27 days after transplantation.

Effective immobilization of glucose oxidase on chitosan submicron particles from gladius of Todarodes pacificus for glucose sensing.

An effective enzymatic glucose biosensor was developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase on chitosan submicron particles synthesized from the gladius of Todarodes pacificus (GCSP). The chemically synthesized chitosan from gladius was pulverized to submicron particles by ball milling technique, which was further characterized and compared with the standard chitosan (SCS). The degree of deacetylation of GCSP was determined using FTIR spectroscopy which was comparable to the value of standard chitosan.

Genetic and epigenetic alterations of bone marrow stromal cells in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia patients.

We evaluated the characteristics of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and hematopoietic cells (HCs) from patients of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, n=21) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML, n=58), and compared the results with control BMSCs derived from healthy donors (n=8). The patient BMSCs had lower proliferative activity than that of the controls due to increased senescence. This retarded proliferation induced failure to obtain enough metaphase cells for karyotyping in patient BMSCs (10%).

Clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria from respiratory specimens in stem cell transplantation recipients.

The clinical importance of the isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from respiratory specimens of stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients is not clear. We investigated the characteristics and clinical impact of NTM isolation in this population. Medical records of adult patients who underwent SCT at the blood and marrow transplantation center at a University Hospital in South Korea between January 2004 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

A strategy to enhance the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells by the highly efficient TiO2/ZnS photoanode.

In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the TiO2 photoanode film plays an important role in increasing the power conversion efficiency. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles were first coated on fluorine-doped tin oxide by the doctor-blade method, and then a thin film of zinc sulfide (ZnS) was successfully fabricated on the surface of the TiO2 nanoparticles using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The performance of the DSSCs was examined in detail using a cobalt sulfide counter electrode and I(-)/I3(-) electrolyte.

CD161(+) T cells as predictive markers for acute graft-versus-host disease.

CD161 is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein with characteristics of the C-type lectin superfamily, which has recently been shown to promote T cell expansion. In this study, the role of T cells expressing CD161 as a predictor for the occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) was investigated. Sixty-one patients who underwent first allogeneic SCT were enrolled.

Wilms tumor gene 1 expression as a predictive marker for relapse and survival after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for myelodysplastic syndromes.

Relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a major concern in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but the role of Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1) as a predictive marker for post-HSCT relapse remains to be validated. We measured WT1 transcript levels by real-time quantitative PCR from marrow samples of 82 MDS patients who underwent transplantation between 2009 and 2013. Pre-HSCT WT1 expression weakly correlated with marrow blast counts or International Prognostic Scoring System scores and failed to predict post-transplantation relapse.

Feasible outcomes of T cell-replete haploidentical stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Even with the recent optimization of haploidentical stem cell transplantation (SCT), its role for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia evolving from MDS (sAML) should be validated. We analyzed the outcomes of consecutive 60 patients with MDS or sAML who received T cell-replete haploidentical SCT after reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine, busulfan, and rabbit antithymocyte globuline ± 800 cGy total body irradiation. Patients achieved a rapid neutrophil engraftment after a median of 12 days (range, 8 to 23) and an early immune reconstitution without high incidences of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) II to IV and chronic GVHD (36.

Equivalent outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation and reduced intensity conditioning stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia patients with t(8;21).

We analyzed the outcome of stem cell transplantation (SCT) for 59 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with t(8;21). The 5-year overall and disease-free survival (OS and DFS) were 70.2 and 68.

(Lymph)angiogenic influences on hematopoietic cells in acute myeloid leukemia.

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the effect of (lymph)angiogenic cytokines on hematopoietic cells involved in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Like angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis occurs in pathophysiological conditions but not in healthy adults. AML is closely associated with the vasculature system, and the interplay between lymphangiogenic cytokines maintains leukemic blast survival in the bone marrow (BM).

A strategy to improve the energy conversion efficiency and stability of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells using manganese-doped cadmium sulfide quantum dots.

This article describes the effect of manganese (Mn) doping in CdS to improve the photovoltaic performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The performances of the QDSSCs are examined in detail using a polysulfide electrolyte with a copper sulfide (CuS) counter electrode. Under the illumination of one sun (AM 1.

Implications of cytogenetics for venous thromboembolism in acute myeloid leukaemia.

Due to the high risk of thrombocytopenia and haemorrhage, thrombotic complications have received little attention in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Furthermore, the predictive role of cytogenetics on venous thromboembolism (VTE) has largely been ignored. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic aspects of VTE in AML.

A well-tolerated regimen of 800 cGy TBI-fludarabine-busulfan-ATG for reliable engraftment after unmanipulated haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Eighty adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) received peripheral blood T cell-replete HLA haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). Disease status at transplantation was either first or second complete remission (CR, n = 69) or relapse/refractory (n = 11). Identical transplant-related procedures with conditioning regimen consisting of fractionated 800 cGy total body irradiation (TBI), fludarabine (30 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days), busulfan (3.

FLT3 expression and IL10 promoter polymorphism in acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1-RUNX1T1.

We investigated the correlation between FLT3 expression and IL10 gene promoter polymorphism in acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and their clinical significance. FLT3 mRNA expression was measured by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) on bone marrow (BM) leukemic cells. IL10 gene promoter polymorphisms including rs1800896 (G-1082A), rs1800871 (C-819T), and rs1800872 (C-592T) were genotyped by direct sequencing.

Impact of extramedullary plasmacytomas on outcomes according to treatment approach in newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma.

The prognostic impact of extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) on newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM) was evaluated in the context of treatment approach including autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and chemotherapy alone. A total of 275 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed MM were included, and 54 patients (19.6 %) had EMPs at diagnosis.

Restoration of natural killer cell cytotoxicity by VEGFR-3 inhibition in myelogenous leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells in vivo are constantly exposed to lymphangiogenic cytokines such as VEGF-C. However, it is poorly understood how the VEGF-C signaling modulates the immune functions in the tumor microenvironment. We have previously reported that natural killer (NK) cells in AML patients strongly upregulated VEGFR-3, the major VEGF-C receptor, and that the VEGFR-3 expression level in NK cells inversely correlates with their cytotoxic potential.

High ALDHdim-expressing CD34+CD38- cells in leukapheresed peripheral blood is a reliable guide for a successful leukemic xenograft model of acute myeloid leukemia.

The primary human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell injection xenograft mouse model is used to investigate multimodal therapies and drug screening on tumor growth. Since xenograft models using human cell lines to examine drug response are not correlated with the clinical outcomes observed in patients, a xenograft model using primary human cells has been used as a more appropriate model with which to minimize this problem. Although bone marrow (BM) cells from patients are often regarded as superior sources to establish xenograft models due to the high frequency of stem cell populations, there is a fatal drawback; only small volumes can be obtained and used for the generation of the leukemic xenograft model.

Bone marrow plasma cell assessment before peripheral blood stem cell mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation.

The current definition of complete response (CR) in multiple myeloma (MM) includes negative serum and urine immunofixation (IFE) tests and <5% bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs). However, many studies of the prognostic impact of pretransplant response have not included BMPCs. We evaluated the prognostic impact of BMPC assessment before peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization on subsequent transplant outcomes.

Characteristics of hematologic malignancies with coexisting t(9;22) and inv(16) chromosomal abnormalities.

Background: The coexistence of t(9;22)(q34;q11.2) and inv(16)(p13q22) chromosomal abnormalities is extremely uncommon, and only a small number of such cases have been reported. Here, we characterized 7 cases of hematologic malignancy exhibiting t(9;22) and inv(16) coexistence.

Comparative analysis of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder after kidney transplantation versus hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a major complication caused by immune-suppression after transplantation. Survival outcome is known to be poor and the characteristics are not fully understood because of its rare incidence. This single center retrospective study enrolled 41 adult PTLD patients after kidney-transplantation (KT, n = 28) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT, n = 13) from 1992 to 2012.

Similar outcomes of peripheral blood stem cells vs. bone marrow for human leukocyte antigen-matched unrelated donor transplantation in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia using risk-adapted graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis.

Background: In unrelated donor allogeneic stem cell transplantation (URD-SCT), most studies reported that peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) resulted in higher incidence of acute and/or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without survival benefits compared with bone marrow (BM). To overcome these shortcomings of PBSC, we have used a risk-adapted GVHD prophylaxis for patients that received HLA-matched URD-SCT, which was adding low-dose rabbit antithymocyte globulin (Thymoglobulin(®) , 1.25 mg/kg for 2 d) to conditioning in the transplants with PBSC and not BM.

Influence of ex vivo purging with CliniMACS CD34(+) selection on outcome after autologous stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The major limitation of autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is relapse. Although autologous graft contamination may be a potential cause, prior purging of the autograft remains controversial. Therefore, we retrospectively analysed 56 consecutive patients with NHL receiving auto-SCT at complete (n = 41) or partial remission (n = 15).

Stratification of de novo adult acute myelogenous leukemia with adverse-risk karyotype: can we overcome the worse prognosis of adverse-risk group acute myelogenous leukemia with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?

Karyotype is a powerful prognostic factor for complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Adverse-risk karyotype AML is now treated with intensive chemotherapy followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) to overcome relapse. We attempted to stratify patients with this disease using a combination of known factors.