Prevention of transfusion-induced graft-versus-host disease in dogs by
ultraviolet irradiation
HJ Deeg, TC Graham, L Gerhard-Miller, FR Appelbaum, F Schuening and R Storb
Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center, Georgetown University,
Washington, DC.
Ten dogs were given 9.2 Gy of total body irradiation and autologous bone
marrow infusion followed by ten daily transfusions of leukocytes for a
total of 11.5 to 36.2 (median, 18.8) x 10(8)/kg obtained via leukapheresis
from histoincompatible unrelated donors. Four dogs were given unirradiated
leukocytes, and all developed graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In
contrast, only two of three dogs given leukocytes irradiated with 20 mJ/cm2
of ultraviolet (UV) light (200 to 300 nm), and none of three dogs given
leukocytes irradiated with 1,000 mJ/cm2 developed GVHD. These data indicate
that UV irradiation abrogates the alloreactive potential of transfused
leukocytes, and suggest that UV irradiation can be used to prevent the
development of transfusion- induced GVHD.
Volume 74,
Issue 7,
pp. 2592-2595,
11/15/1989
Copyright © 1989 by The American Society of Hematology