Severe acute radiation syndrome: treatment of a lethally 60Co-source irradiated accident victim in China with HLA-mismatched peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

This is a case report of a 32-year-old man exposed to a total body dose of 14.5 Gy γ-radiation in a lethal 60Co-source irradiation accident in 2008 in China. Frequent nausea, vomiting and marked neutropenia and lymphopenia were observed from 30 min to 45 h after exposure. HLA-mismatched peripheral blood stem cell transplantation combined with infusion of mesenchymal stem cells was used at Day 7. Rapid hematopoietic recovery, stable donor engraftment and healing of radioactive skin ulceration were achieved during Days 18–36. The patient finally developed intestinal obstruction and died of multi-organ failure on Day 62, although intestinal obstruction was successfully released by emergency bowel resection.

Mesenchymal stem cells – A new hope for radiotherapy-induced tissue damage?

“…Clinical data on the effects of MSCs on radiationinduced skin lesions in humans are lacking. One Chinese case study reported about the treatment of a radiation victim with a combination of MSCs and hematopoietic stem cells, leading to the regeneration of radiation-mediated skin ulcerations after 36 days [90]. However, the role of MSC-based treatments of radiationinduced skin damage in humans remains to be established.…”

The healing effect of bone marrow-derived stem cells in acute radiation syndrome

“… 12 Also, in a 32-year-old man who was exposed to a dose of 14.5 GY γ irradiations in the whole body in an irradiation accident in China, it was found that cell therapy with MSCs was an effective therapeutic approach. 15 Another study indicated that systemic administration of MSCs can stimulate mechanism counteracts the inflammatory events and also manage the detrimental effects of ARS after γ irradiation. 16 …”

Use of Growth Factors and Other Cytokines for Treatment of Injuries During a Radiation Public Health Emergency

“…In addition to those studies that were used to inform the recommendation of the WHO consultancy, other studies were published after the consultancy meeting took place. These latter studies included reports of two cases meeting WHO inclusion criteria from radiological accidents that occurred in Fleurus, Belgium 20 and Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China (47). The results of cytokine management in these cases would not have changed the initial recommendations of the consultancy (48).…”