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Stem Cell Procurement

Effects of storage temperature on hematopoietic stability and microbial safety of BM aspirates

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 49, pages 338–348 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Bone Marrow (BM) remains a common source for hematopoietic SCT. Due to the transcutaneous approach, contamination with skin bacteria is common. The delay between harvest and transfusion can be considerable, potentially allowing for bacterial proliferation. The optimal transportation temperature, specifically with respect to bacterial growth and consequences thereof for hematopoietic quality, remain undefined. For 72 h, 66 individual BM samples, non-spiked/spiked with different bacteria, stored at 20–24 °C room temperature (RT) or 3–5 °C (cold), were serially analyzed for hematopoietic quality and microbial burden. Under most conditions, hematopoietic quality of BM was equal or better at RT: Typical BM contaminants (P. acnes and S. epidermidis) and E. coli were killed or bacterial proliferation was arrested at RT; hematopoietic quality was not impacted by the contamination. However, several pathogenic bacteria not typically found in BM (S. aureus and K. pneumoniae) proliferated dramatically at RT and impaired hematopoietic quality. Bacterial proliferation was arrested in the cold. The overwhelming majority of BM samples, that is, those that are sterile or contaminated only with skin commensals, will benefit from transportation at RT. Those bacteria that proliferate and perturb hematopoietic quality are not typically found in BM. Our data support recommendations for RT transportation and storage of BM.

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Acknowledgements

No outside funding was used. The data are part of the doctoral thesis of SH. Dr Ute Sicker, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, is acknowledged for helpful advice and careful reading of the final version of this manuscript. ES and HB are members of the LOEWE Cell and Gene Therapy Frankfurt faculty, funded by Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts ref.no.: III L 4 518/17.004 (2010).

Author contributions

SH, WS, VAJK, ES, MS and HB planned the studies. SH, KH, DK and KD performed experiments. SH, MS and HB interpreted data and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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  1. M Schmidt and H Bönig: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Wuerttemberg-Hessen and Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany

    S Hahn, W Sireis, K Hourfar, D Karpova, K Dauber, E Seifried, M Schmidt & H Bönig

  2. Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Goethe University Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany

    V A J Kempf

  3. Department of Medicine/Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    H Bönig

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Hahn, S., Sireis, W., Hourfar, K. et al. Effects of storage temperature on hematopoietic stability and microbial safety of BM aspirates. Bone Marrow Transplant 49, 338–348 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.176

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