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Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has considerable potential for the treatment of malignancies, hemoglobinopathies, and autoimmune diseases, as well as the induction of transplantation allograft tolerance. Toxicities associated with standard preparative regimens for bone marrow transplantation, however, make this approach unacceptable for all but the most severe of these clinical situations. Here, we demonstrate that stable mixed hematopoietic cell chimerism and donor-specific tolerance can be established in miniature swine, using a relatively mild, non-myeloablative preparative regimen. We conditioned recipient swine with whole-body and thymic irradiation, and we depleted their T-cells by CD3 immunotoxin-treatment. Infusion of either bone marrow cells or cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells from leukocyte antigen-matched animals resulted in stable mixed chimerism, as detected by flow cytometry in the peripheral blood, thymus, and bone marrow, without any clinical evidence of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Long-term acceptance of donor skin and consistent rejection of third-party skin indicated that the recipients had developed donor-specific tolerance.

Unlabelled: Rhenium-186(Sn)-1,1-hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate (186Re-HEDP) has been used for palliation of metastatic bone pain. The purpose of this study was to find a relationship between the bone marrow absorbed dose and the toxicity, expressed as the percentage decrease in the peripheral blood platelet count., Methods: The bone marrow absorbed dose was calculated according to the MIRD model using data obtained from ten treatments of patients suffering from metastatic prostate cancer; noninvasive and pharmacokinetic methods were used. The bone marrow doses were related to toxicity using the pharmacodynamic sigmoid Emax model., Results: The mean bone marrow absorbed doses using the noninvasive and pharmacokinetic methods were in a close range to each other (1.07 mGy/MBq and 1.02 mGy/MBq, respectively). There was a good relationship between the toxicity and the bone marrow absorbed dose (r = 0.80). Furthermore, the EDrm50 (i.e., the bone marrow absorbed dose producing a 50% platelet decrease) to bone marrow for 186Re-HEDP was on the order of 2 Gy., Conclusion: Although the function of normal bone marrow is affected by metastases in patients with metastatic bone disease, the MIRD model can be used to relate toxicity to the bone marrow absorbed dose after a therapeutic dosage of 186Re-HEDP.

Unlabelled: A potential limitation of rhenium-186-1,1-hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate (186Re-HEDP) therapy in patients with painful bone metastases is thrombocytopenia. Given the palliative character of this therapy, it is essential to be able to predict the degree of thrombocytopenia before therapy., Methods: Thus far, 39 prostatic cancer patients with multiple painful bone metastases were treated. Twenty-one patients underwent the therapy twice, resulting in 60 therapies. From the pre-therapy 99mTc-HDP scintigram, the bone scan index (BSI) was determined as an index of the extent of bone involvement., Results: The administered activity ranged from 1104 to 3479 MBq 186Re-HEDP. The platelet count was lowest 4 wk following therapy. From this value and the pretreatment level, the percentage decrease in the platelet count was determined (47% +/- 19%, range 14%-89%). The BSI ranged from 8 to 93. Regression analysis showed a functional relation (R = 0.78; p < 0.001) of the percentage of platelet decrease with BSI and administered activity normalized to standard body surface area., Conclusion: Using this relation, it is possible to predict thrombocytopenia by pretreatment bone scintigraphy and to adjust the dosage to each patient to avoid unacceptable toxicity.

Protracted, low-daily-dose gamma-ray exposure (3.8-7.5 cGy/day) segregates canines into separate survival- and pathology-based subgroups by the early elicitation of distinct, repair-mediated hemopathological response pathways. In this study, we verified the blood and marrow responses of two major subgroups prone to either aplastic anemia or myeloproliferative disease, along with two variants, and extended our analyses of hematopoietic repair to include studies of DNA repair in bone marrow blasts using an autoradiographically based unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay. The myeloproliferative disease-prone subgroup exhibited extended survival (> 200 days), related to partial, gradual restoration of blood leukocyte, platelet, and marrow progenitor levels following an initial phase of acute suppression. Marrow blasts taken during the restoration phase showed expanded and qualitatively modified UDS relative to marrow blasts of age-matched control animals. The amount of UDS per blast (signal strength) increased significantly, as did the number of UDS-positive cells and their sensitivities to high-dose UV induction and 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine chemical inhibition. A nonevolving myeloproliferative disease-prone variant having prolonged survival (> 200 days) and restored blood cells and marrow progenitor levels also had marrow blasts with expanded UDS responses, but these were uniquely evoked by low (but not high) doses of UV inducer. The aplastic anemia-prone subgroup was characterized by short survival (< 200 days), progressive decline (without restoration) in all measured blood and marrow compartments, and largely nonsignificant changes in UDS responses of marrow blasts. A variant of this aplastic anemia-prone subgroup (with comparable short survival due to markedly ineffective hematopoiesis, but expressing select preleukemic features) exhibited reduced numbers (relative to age-matched controls) of highly responsive, UDS-positive marrow blasts (in terms of UDS signal strength and increased to sensitivity 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine-induced UDS inhibition). From these observations we conclude that: (a) the UDS response of marrow blasts, a correlate of hematopoietic progenitorial repair, is altered differentially within selected subgroups of animals under chronic radiation exposure; and (b) the nature of altered UDS repair response patterns appears to be largely related to the preclinical status/predisposition of the individual animal and thus may provide prognostically useful information in the clinical monitoring of chronically irradiated individuals with minimal but evolving hematological disease.

Administration of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) before a lethal irradiation with or without allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) protects greater than 90% of the irradiated mice. To approach the mechanisms responsible for the radioprotective effect of IL-1, we examined the effects of IL-1 pretreatment on engraftment and kinetics of peripheral blood, spleen, and marrow cell reconstitution after irradiation and BMT. Although the BMT was not necessary for the survival of the IL-1-pretreated lethally irradiated mice, allogeneic marrow did engraft in these mice as evaluated in the spleen and marrow 2 months after BMT. IL-1 pretreatment significantly accelerated hematopoietic recovery versus transplanted saline-treated controls with a pronounced enhancement of peripheral leukocyte, platelet, and erythrocyte recovery. Leukocyte recovery in IL-1-pretreated mice was unique in that IL-1 first induced an early transient (maximum at day 7) increase of peripheral granulocytes before accelerating leukocyte recovery after day 11. IL-1 pretreatment also significantly enhanced marrow cell recovery after allogeneic BMT with an eightfold increase in marrow cellularity from day 4 to 11 versus control transplanted mice. When lethal irradiation was not followed by allogeneic BMT. IL-1 pretreatment also affected the peripheral reconstitution of leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes. Interestingly, in the absence of BMT, IL-1 also induced an early circulation of peripheral granulocytes. Overall, our data demonstrate that a single administration of IL-1 before lethal irradiation and allogeneic BMT can induce an early transient increase of circulating granulocytes, followed by an accelerated multilineage recovery and long-term allogeneic engraftment.

We have studied the in vivo effects of recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) on hematopoiesis in eight healthy and nine irradiated cynomolgus monkeys. Of the healthy animals, three received rhIL-6 alone (10 micrograms/kg/d, subcutaneously [SC]), one received rhIL-6 in combination with rhIL-3 (10 micrograms/kg/d, SC), one received rhIL-6 in combination with recombinant cynomolgus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rcGM-CSF; 10 micrograms/kg/d, SC), two received rhIL-6 in combination with recombinant human granulocyte-CSF (rhG-CSF; 10 micrograms/kg/d, SC), and one received rhIL-6 in combination with recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor (rhLIF; 10 micrograms/kg/d, SC). All animals were treated for at least 2 weeks with rhIL-6 or the above mentioned combinations. rhIL-6 alone significantly increased the peripheral blood platelet counts (2- to 3.5-fold). The platelets reached a plateau between days 10 and 15 of treatment. No synergistic effects on platelet numbers were observed when rhIL-6 was combined with rhIL-3, rcGM-CSF, rhG-CSF, or rhLIF. In addition to rhIL-6, only rhLIF increased the platelet numbers when administered alone. To test whether rhIL-6 might also protect the animal from thrombocytopenia or shorten the time of thrombocytopenia after irradiation, we treated nine animals with total body irradiation (3.8 Gy). Six of the animals were additional treated with rhIL-6 (4 with 10 micrograms/kg/d; and 2 with 100 micrograms/kg/d) from day -1 or +1 to day 28 post irradiation. In these animals, rhIL-6 at the same dose effective in healthy animals (10 micrograms/kg/d) was not capable of protecting the animals from platelet nadir. However, when pegylated rhIL-6 was used at a dosage of 100 micrograms/kg/d post irradiation, the mean of the nadirs was 71,000/microL as compared with 39,000/microL in control animals and the time of thrombocytopenia was shorter (3 v 5 days). In all animals (healthy and irradiated), rhIL-6 did not increase the number of bone marrow megakaryocytes but induced a right shift of DNA ploidy in megakaryocytes. These data suggest that IL-6 acts as "thrombopoietin"-like activity, but not as "megakaryocyte-CSF"-like activity.

The oedema which forms around an intracerebral haemorrhage has a complex aetiology. The immune response may have a role in its formation. There is clinical and experimental evidence that circulating leucocytes and platelets may mediate oedema formation. Global depletion of circulating leucocytes and platelets by whole body irradiation in a rodent model of intracerebral haemorrhage was found to confer protection against both ischaemia and oedema formation. This was not a direct effect of irradiation of the brain. The possible mechanisms for this protection are discussed.

This report was aimed at confirming the potential clinical use for a genetically engineered glycosylated human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) in hematopoiesis. Its tolerance and efficacy were assessed on hematopoietic restoration after neutron radiation-induced bone marrow injury on baboons, which represent an adequate model of parallelism for studying hematology in the human. The particular neutron radiation absorption pattern in the body allows the preservation of underexposed bone marrow areas that mimics an autotransplantation-like situation. An initial dose finding study (1 microgram up to 20 micrograms/kg/d for 8 consecutive days) in normal baboons established a dose-dependent response regarding the peripheral platelet count (range of increase, 1.5- to 4-fold). A significant elevation in white blood cell (WBC) count, as well as a substantial reversible normochromic normocytic anemia, were observed for the highest doses only (10 and 20 micrograms/kg/d). All rhIL-6 administered doses were clinically well tolerated. In myelosuppressed baboons, a selected dose of 10 micrograms/kg/d of rhIL-6 for 13 consecutive days significantly lessened the degree of induced thrombocytopenia as compared with the control group (P = .01) and shortened the time to occurrence of the nadir, showing that the onset of recovery occurs much earlier, ie, an average of 5 days (P = .003), in the treated group. Moreover, this accelerated platelet recovery is evidenced by an 8-day shorter mean time back to baseline values (P = .03) in the rhIL-6--treated animals. At this dose no effect was observed on the WBC recovery pattern. Importantly rhIL-6 did not accentuate the radiation-induced anemia and was clinically well tolerated. All tested monkeys recovered from their induced pancytopenia and no animal loss was recorded. IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-1 blood measurements are reported. In conclusion, rhIL-6 is a potent thrombopoietic factor for the treatment of induced thrombocytopenia in nonhuman primates at a clinically well-tolerated dose.

The response of megakaryocytes and platelets to the administration of recombinant human interleukin-6 (IL-6) was investigated in normal and sublethally irradiated dogs. IL-6 was administered for 2 weeks at doses of 10 to 160 micrograms/kg/d to normal animals to assess dose-response and toxicity. Subsequently, 40, 80, or 160 micrograms/kg/d for 2 weeks was administered to animals treated with 200 cG total body irradiation. Analysis of normal dogs showed a significant increment in the platelet count detectable approximately 11 days after initiation of IL-6 at all administered doses. Large platelets greater than 6.3 microns in diameter were observed 1 day after beginning IL-6, progressively increasing to as many as 19.1% of the total circulating platelets by day 10. The ploidy distribution of the marrow megakaryocytes did not differ from the normal at doses of less than or equal to 80 micrograms/kg/d, but at 160 micrograms/kg/d, a shift toward higher ploidy cells was noted. No change in total white count was noted; however, a decrease in hematocrit was seen at all doses. In the irradiated animals, the platelet count recovered earlier in the IL-6-treated dogs than in the controls, but no consistent change in the ploidy distribution was observed irrespective of dose. Large platelets were also noted in the treated animals, comprising up to 6.9% of the total platelet count. Fibrinogen levels were elevated to greater than 4 times normal. A significant decrease in hematocrit was seen in all animals, while no consistent change was noted in the white count. Elevations in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and alkaline phosphatase, together with a decline in serum albumin were observed in all the treated animals (both normal and irradiated), but clinical symptoms were observed only in the dogs receiving greater than or equal to 80 micrograms/kg/d. The data show that IL-6 alone is capable of enhancing platelet recovery in dogs with bone marrow suppression.

A randomized trial was performed to compare two regimens of total body irradiation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated by allogeneic marrow transplantation while in the chronic phase. All patients received cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg followed by total body irradiation and marrow from HLA-identical siblings. Cyclosporine and methotrexate were used for prophylaxis against acute graft-versus-host disease. Fifty-seven patients were randomized to receive 2.0 Gy fractions of irradiation daily for 6 days and 59 were randomized to receive 2.25 Gy fractions daily for 7 days. The probabilities of relapse at 4 years were 0.25 for the 12.0 Gy group and 0.00 for the 15.75 Gy group (P = .008). The actuarial probabilities of survival and relapse-free survival at 4 years were 0.60 and 0.58 among the patients who received 12.0 Gy compared with 0.66 and 0.66 for those who received 15.75 Gy. The 4-year probabilities of transplant-related mortality were 0.24 and 0.34 respectively (P = .13) while the probability of moderate to severe acute graft-versus-host disease was 0.33 for the 12.0 Gy group and 0.44 for the 15.75 Gy group (P = .15). The lower relapse probability in the patients receiving the higher dose of total body irradiation did not result in improved survival because mortality from causes other than relapse was increased.

Forty dogs with spontaneous skeletal neoplasia were treated with 153Sm-EDTMP (ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonic acid). Both primary and metastatic lesions were treated. Two treatment regimes, a single (37 MBq (1.0 mCi)/kg dose or two 37 MBq (1.0 mCi)/kg doses separated by 1 wk) were tested. Response to treatment was varied. Large lesions with minimal tumor bone formation responded poorly, while primary lesions with substantial ossification usually exhibited a transient response. Small lesions with minimal lysis, metastatic lesions, and axial skeleton lesions generally responded well. The major adverse side effects of treatment were platelet and white blood cell count depression below baseline values for up to 4 wk (p less than 0.05). Minor depression of packed cell volume and transient elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase were also noted (p less than 0.05). No significant differences (p greater than 0.05) between the two treatment groups, either in treatment effect or undesirable side effects, were detected.

In order to investigate the role of blood platelets in regenerative proliferation of hepatocytes in vivo, partial hepatectomy was carried out under conditions of severe thrombocytopenia achieved by X-irradiation and the time-dependent degree of hepatocyte regeneration was measured as labeling index (LI) after 3H-thymidine injection. LI values reached a maximum 36 h after hepatectomy performed 7 days subsequent to a whole-body irradiation of 7.5 Gy, although the maximum rate was found to be only about one-third of that found in unirradiated control rats. At this time point, the number of peripheral blood platelets was decreased to about 2% of that of unirradiated controls and bone marrow megakaryocytes were virtually undetectable. A decrease of LI, similar to that found for the whole-body irradiation in degree, was also observed after local irradiation of the liver with the same dose but without an apparent decrease in platelets. When whole-body irradiation was performed with the liver shielded, under which conditions the numbers of blood platelets decreased to about 8% of the control levels, almost no decrease in LI was found. The results thus suggest that the observed inhibition of hepatocyte regeneration was directly due to liver irradiation and that depletion of blood platelets itself does not interfere with the regeneration process, providing evidence against a dominant role of the platelets in the regeneration as proposed by other authors.

Eight patients with stage III aggressive multiple myeloma, refractory to current chemotherapy in six cases, were treated by high-dose chemotherapy (nitrosourea, etoposide, and melphalan) (HDC) and total body irradiation (TBI), followed by autografting with blood stem cells. These cells were previously collected by leukapheresis performed during hematologic recovery following cytotoxic drug-induced bone marrow aplasia. Seven patients were alive 9 to 17 months after HDC-TBI and graft. One died at day 40 from cerebral bleeding. All living patients achieved a 90% or greater reduction in tumor mass. In two cases, a complete remission (CR) has persisted at a follow-up of 15 and 16 months. Three patients have been well and off therapy with stable minimal residual disease (RD) since 10, 11, and 17 months, respectively. A patient in apparent CR and another with RD have relapsed 9 to 12 months posttreatment. Autologous blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells induced successful and sustained engraftment in all living patients. These results, although still preliminary, indicate that HDC and TBI, followed by blood stem cells autograft, which has both practical and theoretical interest over allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation, deserve consideration in selected patients with multiple myeloma.