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  • Original Article
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Telomere Length

Accelerated telomere shortening following allogeneic transplantation is independent of the cell source and occurs within the first year post transplant

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 27, pages 1283–1286 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Telomere shortening has been documented in the blood cells of recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplants compared with their donors. Allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) have been increasingly used as an alternative to bone marrow. Their advantages include earlier engraftment and immune reconstitution following transplantation. We have measured telomere length of neutrophils and T cells in fully engrafted recipients of allogeneic bone marrow (n = 19) and allogeneic PBPC (n = 17) and also measured sequential telomere length in four patients after transplantation. Overall, significant telomere shortening occurred in recipients in neutrophils (0.3 kb, P < 0.001) and T cells (0.2 kb, P = 0.045). The data demonstrate that first, the degree of shortening was the same for BM and PBPC transplants and was not related to the time taken to engraft neutrophils and platelets and second, telomere shortening occurs in the first year post transplant without further shortening during the period of observation. These data suggest that the superiority of engraftment seen in PBPC transplants is independent of telomere shortening and other mechanisms such as homing or seeding may be more important. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 27, 1283–1286.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Srs T Howe, D Sheekey, K Bowyer and C Richardson for their help with this study. NG Testa is supported by the Cancer Research Campaign, R Chopra is supported by the Christie Hospital Leukaemia Research Endowment funds and Chugai Pharmaceuticals. This work was supported by a grant from the Leukaemia Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CRC Laboratory of Experimental Haematology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester, UK

    JD Robertson, NG Testa, M Dougal & R Chopra

  2. Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK

    NH Russell & C Stainer

  3. Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    G Jackson

  4. Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    AN Parker

  5. Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK

    DW Milligan & S Chakrabarti

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  1. JD Robertson
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Robertson, J., Testa, N., Russell, N. et al. Accelerated telomere shortening following allogeneic transplantation is independent of the cell source and occurs within the first year post transplant. Bone Marrow Transplant 27, 1283–1286 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703069

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1703069

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