RECOVERY OF HEMATOLOGIC COMPETENCE WITHOUT ENGRAFTMENT FOLLOWING ATTEMPTED BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION FOR APLASTIC-ANEMIA - REPORT OF A CASE WITH DIFFUSION CHAMBER STUDIES

Abstract

An 18 yr old male with severe aplastic anemia associated with hepatitis was prepared for bone marrow transplantation with cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg per day) for 4 consecutive days. He then received 3.47 .times. 108 nucleated bone marrow cells/kg of body wt from his HL-A identical sister by i.v. infusion. Although subsequent karyotyping showed that engraftment was not achieved, prompt hematologic recovery ensued by the 3rd wk post-transplant. Diffusion chamber culture of the patient''s bone marrow stroma, obtained prior to cyclophosphamide therapy, was carried out. A prompt increase in the number of cells in the chambers was observed. A differential cell count of the contents was similar to that seen when normal bone marrow is cultured in a similar manner.