Bedside Allogeneic Erythrocyte Washing with a Cell Saver to Remove Cytokines, Chemokines, and Cell-derived Microvesicles.

Background: Removal of cytokines, chemokines, and microvesicles from the supernatant of allogeneic erythrocytes may help mitigate adverse transfusion reactions. Blood bank-based washing procedures present logistical difficulties; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that on-demand bedside washing of allogeneic erythrocyte units is capable of removing soluble factors and is feasible in a clinical setting.

Methods: There were in vitro and prospective, observation cohort components to this a priori planned substudy evaluating bedside allogeneic erythrocyte washing, with a cell saver, during cardiac surgery.

The plasma fraction of stored erythrocytes augments pancreatic cancer metastasis in male versus female mice.

Background: Males with pancreatic cancer have decreased survival compared with females. Interestingly, perioperative blood transfusions have been shown to reduce survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Recent evidence incriminates blood transfusions from female donors as a causative factor in acute lung injury.

Intravenous delivery of the plasma fraction of stored packed erythrocytes promotes pancreatic cancer growth in immunocompetent mice.

Background: Perioperative blood transfusion in pancreatic cancer patients has been linked to decreased survival; however, a causal mechanism has not been determined. During the processing and storage of packed erythrocytes, biologically active molecules accumulated in the acellular plasma fraction; therefore, the authors hypothesized that the plasma fraction of stored packed erythrocytes promoted tumor progression.

Methods: Proliferation and migration of murine pancreatic cancer and control cells were determined in vitro in response to the plasma fraction from leukocyte and nonleukocyte-reduced fresh versus stored packed erythrocytes.