Repeated apheresis donations cause important iron deficiency in male Japanese donors.

Background And Objectives: In Japan, apheresis donation of plasma is allowed to a maximum of 24 times a year, and plateletpheresis are counted as two plasmapheresis donations. Diversion of the initial blood flow is conducted for all donations, and additionally, blood remaining in apheresis machine circuit is lost. Here, we aimed to investigate on the health impact of frequent apheresis donations, as measured by the serum ferritin (sFer).

Iron deficiency among Japanese whole-blood donors measured by serum ferritin.

Background And Objectives: A more restrictive blood donation criterion has been applied in Japan, with a maximum volume of whole blood (WB) donation of 400 mL, allowing twice a year for female donors and thrice a year for male donors. However, iron deficiency was as high as 20.5% among female donors prior to donation, increasing to 37.

[A case of ferroportin disease with phenotype A gene mutation in SCL40A1 resembling phenotype B manifestation influenced by alcohol consumption].

A 57-year-old man had been detected to have an elevated transaminase level. He had a history of alcohol consumption, and abdominal ultrasonography revealed an increase in the echogenicity of the liver;hence, he was diagnosed as having alcoholic liver disease. He restricted his alcohol intake, but the elevated transaminase level did not improve.

Replaced platelet concentrates containing a new additive solution, M-sol: safety and efficacy for pediatric patients.

Background: Allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs), particularly those caused by plasma-rich platelet concentrates (P-PCs), are an important concern in transfusion medicine. Replacing P-PCs with PCs containing M-sol (M-sol-R-PCs) is expected to prevent ATRs. However, this has not yet been verified by sufficient clinical evidence.

Adhesive interaction between peripheral blood mononuclear cells and activated platelets in the presence of anti-human leukocyte antigen Class I alloantibody causes production of IL-1β and IL-8.

Background: Activated platelets form heterogeneous aggregates of platelets and monocytes, which are involved in a variety of inflammatory disorders. Some anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class I antibodies have been shown to activate platelets.

Materials And Methods: Human leukocyte antigen-A2-positive or HLA-A2-negative platelets were incubated with HLA-A2-negative peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) in the presence of anti-HLA-A2 serum at 37°C.

Platelet additive solution - electrolytes.

Recent attention to solutions that replace most or all plasma in platelet concentrates, while maintaining satisfactory platelet function, is motivated by the potential of plasma reduction or depletion to mitigate various transfusion-related adverse events. This report considers the electrolytic composition of previously described platelet additive solutions, in order to draw general conclusions about what is required for platelet function and longevity. The optimal concentrations of Na(+) and Cl(-) are 69-115 mM.

Phagocytosis of liposome particles by rat splenic immature monocytes makes them transiently and highly immunosuppressive in ex vivo culture conditions.

Liposomes reportedly accumulate in monophagocytic systems (MPSs), such as those of the spleen. Accumulation of considerable amounts of liposome in a MPS can affect immunologic response. While developing a liposomal oxygen carrier containing human hemoglobin vesicle (HbV), we identified its suppressive effect on the proliferation of rat splenic T cells.

Enhancement of endothelial permeability by coculture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence of HLA Class II antibody that was associated with transfusion-related acute lung injury.

Background: HLA Class II antibody-initiated activation of monocytes possessing the corresponding antigen is thought to participate in the pathogenesis of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). Pulmonary edema, a hallmark of TRALI, is caused by increasing vascular permeability.

Study Design And Methods: To investigate the contribution of HLA Class II antibody and monocytes to the development of pulmonary edema in TRALI, we studied whether the permeability of human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs) could be enhanced by coculturing HMVECs with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) in the presence of HLA Class II antibody-containing plasma, which was implicated in TRALI (anti-HLA-DR plasma).

Platelet transfusion refractoriness attributable to HLA antibodies produced by donor-derived cells after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from one HLA-antigen-mismatched mother.

PTR is a serious problem in patients being treated for hematologic disorders. Two patients with acute leukemia developed PTR after allogeneic BMT from one HLA-antigen-mismatched mother attributable to HLA antibodies, which could not be detected in their serum before BMT. HLA antibodies, whose specificity resembled that of each patient, were detected in each donor's serum.

Bone marrow stromal cell line promotes the proliferation of mast cell progenitors derived from cord blood CD34+ cells under serum-free conditions with a combination of both cell-cell interaction and soluble factors.

A higher production of functional mast cells (MCs) can be generated by co-culturing cord blood-derived CD34+ cells with a human bone marrow stromal cell line under serum-free conditions supplemented with stem cell factor and IL-6. We addressed the question of whether the higher proliferation of MCs in this co-culture system might be due to the higher proliferation of MC progenitors. The stromal cell line increased the cell numbers of MC progenitors derived from cord blood-derived CD34+ cells, in a combination of cell-cell interactions between stromal cells and CD34+ cells, and as yet unidentified soluble factors derived from stromal cells.

Comparison between in vitro qualities of platelets washed with commercially available additive solutions and those washed with M-sol.

Background And Objectives: We previously developed a novel additive solution (M-sol) with a high ability to preserve the in vitro qualities of platelets (PLTs) in washed PLTs Here, we compared the ability of M-sol with that of commercially available additive solutions (ASs) to preserve the in vitro qualities (pH, mean PLT volume, %disc, P-selectin, %hypotonic shock response and aggregation) of PLTs at a low plasma concentration.

Materials And Methods: The platelet concentrate was divided into two equal aliquots (control group and test group). After centrifugation of both groups and removal of as much supernatant as possible, the pellet of the control group was resuspended in M-sol and those of the test group were resuspended in other ASs, and subsequently stored in polyolefin bags with agitating at 20-24 degrees C.

Stimulation of human neutrophils with sera containing HLA Class I alloantibody causes preferential degranulation of azurophilic granules and secretory vesicles.

Background And Objectives: The activation of neutrophils by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class I alloantibody is thought to be involved in transfusion-related acute lung injury. Neutrophils contain various biological substances in four groups of granules, including secretory vesicles, azurophilic granules, specific granules and gelatinase granules. To characterize the activation of neutrophils by HLA Class I alloantibody, we investigated whether HLA Class I alloantibody could cause the degranulation of these groups of granules either coordinately or selectively.

Biocompatibility study of hemoglobin vesicles, cellular-type artificial oxygen carriers, with human umbilical cord hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells using an in vitro expansion system.

Hemoglobin vesicles (HbVs), liposomal oxygen carriers containing human hemoglobin, are candidates for development of a clinically useful transfusion alternative. Our previous in vivo animal studies of massive HbV dosages demonstrated the lack of any suppressive effect on hematopoiesis. Before starting clinical trials, we aimed to examine the details of the biocompatibility of HbVs with human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.

A case of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E caused by blood from a donor infected with hepatitis E virus via zoonotic food-borne route.

Background: Five cases of transfusion transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) have been reported so far. The infection routes of the causative donors remain unclear, however. Also, the progress of virus markers in the entire course of HEV infection has not been well documented.

Endothelial permeability is increased by the supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with HLA Class II antibody.

Background: The generation of inflammatory mediators from monocytes activated by HLA Class II antibodies is thought to play important roles in the etiology of nonhemolytic transfusion reactions. Increased permeability of endothelial cells contributes to the pathogenesis of rash, urticaria, angioedema, and pulmonary edema, which are symptoms of transfusion reactions.

Study Design And Methods: We investigated whether inflammatory mediators released from monocytes upon stimulation by HLA Class II antibodies could increase endothelial permeability.

Influence of hemoglobin vesicles, cellular-type artificial oxygen carriers, on human umbilical cord blood hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro.

Hemoglobin vesicles (HbVs), liposomal oxygen carriers containing human hemoglobin, are candidates for development as clinically useful blood substitutes. Although HbVs are shown to distribute transiently into the bone marrow in animal models, the influence of HbVs on human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells has not yet been studied. Therefore, we investigated the influence of HbVs at a concentration of up to 3 vol/vol % on the clonogenic activity (in semisolid culture) and proliferative activity (in liquid culture) of human hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from umbilical cord blood (CB) in vitro.

Storage of platelets in a novel additive solution (M-sol), which is prepared by mixing solutions approved for clinical use that are not especially for platelet storage.

Background: To reduce adverse reactions due to platelet (PLT) transfusion, medical solutions on the market, such as saline and ACD-A, are used to replace the plasma of PLT concentrates in Japan; however, they are not strongly preservative. Here, an attempt was made to develop a novel additive solution (M-sol) having the ability to preserve PLTs stably, with only approved solutions for clinical use.

Study Design And Methods: M-sol is a mixture of solutions for medical use, which consists of 77 mmol per L NaCl, 3 mmol per L KCl, 1 mmol per L CaCl2, 21 mmol per L Na acetate, 15 mmol per L glucose, 9.

Effects of hemoglobin vesicles, a liposomal artificial oxygen carrier, on hematological responses, complement and anaphylactic reactions in rats.

Hemoglobin vesicle (HbV), a liposomal oxygen carrier containing human hemoglobin, was intravenously infused into rats. After the infusion of saline, the HbV or empty vesicle (EV), numbers of red cells, leukocytes and platelets in peripheral blood were unchanged during the observation period of one week in addition to each time point among three groups. However, the lymphocyte ratio transiently decreased and the granulocyte ratio increased in the HbV and EV groups at 6 h after the infusion.

Generation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by HLA Class II antibody-containing plasma unit that was associated with severe nonhemolytic transfusion reactions.

Background: HLA Class II antibodies are thought to be involved in severe transfusion reactions including transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). The activation of monocytes by HLA Class II antibody may play an important role in the etiology of TRALI.

Case Report: An 81-year-old man with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Clinical Stage IIIA) received a plateletpheresis unit containing at least 4 x 10(11) platelets because of thrombocytopenia and a bleeding tendency.

Clinical-scale expansion of human cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells requiring single-peptide stimulation and feeder cells but not additional antigen-presenting cells.

Background: The aim of this study was to find a simple and feasible method for ex vivo expansion of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific cytotoxic T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) without the aid of exogenous antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as cultured dendritic cells.

Study Design And Methods: PBMNCs from three HLA-A*2402-seropositive donors were stimulated with HCMV pp65(341-350) peptide on Day 1 and then cultured with interleukin-2 and allogeneic feeder cells for 3 to 4 weeks. HCMV peptide-specific T cells were purified with HLA-A*2402/pp65(341-350) tetramer on Days 12 to 13 and harvested on Days 23 to 27.

Interaction of hemoglobin vesicles, a cellular-type artificial oxygen carrier, with human plasma: effects on coagulation, kallikrein-kinin, and complement systems.

Hemoglobin vesicles (HbVs), cellular-type artificial oxygen carriers containing human hemoglobin, were assessed for their biocompatibility by mixing with human plasma in vitro. Among three kinds of HbVs (PEG-DPEA-HbV, PEG-DPPG-HbV and DPPG-HbV), PEG-DPEA-HbV did not affect the extrinsic or intrinsic coagulation activities of the plasma, while PEG-DPPG-HbV and DPPG-HbV tended to shorten the intrinsic coagulation time. The kallikrein-kinin cascade of the plasma was slightly activated by PEG-DPPG-HbV and DPPG-HbV, but not by PEG-DPEA-HbV.

Interaction between desialylated hepatitis B virus and asialoglycoprotein receptor on hepatocytes may be indispensable for viral binding and entry.

The cellular receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has not yet been identified. The purpose of this study was to address the possibility of participation by desialylated HBV and the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) exclusively expressed on liver parenchymal cells, in infection. Assays for viral binding and entry were performed by culturing a hepatoblastoma cell line, HepG2, and HBV particles derived from the HBV carrier in the presence or absence of neuraminidase (NA).