RESUMO
BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated that the copper chelator tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) enables preferential expansion of early hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+CD38-, CD34+CD38-Lin-) in human umbilical cord blood (CB)-derived CD34+ cell cultures. This study extends our previous findings that copper chelation can modulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. METHODS: In the present study we established a clinically applicative protocol for large-scale ex vivo expansion of CB-derived progenitors. Briefly, CD133+ cells, purified from CB using Miltenyi Biotec's (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) CliniMACS separation device and the anti-CD133 reagent, were cultured for 3 weeks in a clinical-grade closed culture bag system, using the chelator-based technology in combination with early-acting cytokines (SCF, thrombopoietin, IL-6 and FLT-3 ligand). This protocol was evaluated using frozen units derived from accredited cord blood banks. RESULTS: Following 3 weeks of expansion under large-scale culture conditions that were suitable for clinical manufacturing, the median output value of CD34+ cells increase by 89-fold, CD34+CD38- increase by 30-fold and CFU cells (CFUc) by 172-fold over the input value. Transplantation into sublethally irradiated non-obese diabetic (NOD/SCID) mice indicated that the engraftment potential of the ex vivo expanded CD133+ cells was significantly superior to that of unexpanded cells: 60+/-5.5% vs. 21+/-3.5% CD45+ cells, P=0.001, and 11+/-1.8% vs. 4+/-0.68% CD45+CD34+ cells, P=0.012, n=32, respectively. DISCUSSION: Based on these large-scale experiments, the chelator-based ex vivo expansion technology is currently being tested in a phase 1 clinical trial in patients undergoing CB transplantation for hematological malignancies.