To freeze or not to freeze peripheral blood stem cells prior to allogeneic transplantation from matched related donors

Abstract

Infusion of previously frozen stem cells may achieve similar overall outcomes compared to fresh infusion, allowing to program donor apheresis and transplantation. However, cryopreservation might influence on the different pattern of aGVHD, issue that deserves further studies.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Fresh, Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Severe Refractory Gingivostomatitis in Cats

“…Recently, however, it has been shown that 2–3 days of culture and stem cell expansion for patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transfusions may increase cell viability and cell activation readiness [60]. In addition, the use of DMSO as a cryoprotectant may account for the higher incidence of transfusion reactions seen with frozen cells and potentially interfere with therapeutic outcomes [60, 61]. Our group favors fresh cells to frozen cells for therapeutic administration and we believe much of our efficacy data in cats with FCGS and in other ongoing clinical trials are related to the infusion of freshly expanded cells.…”

“…There remains controversy and a paucity of data, in any given species, to support the use of autologous versus allogenic stem cells in terms of efficacy and outcome [60, 61]. There is some evidence that i.v.…”

Engraftment for CD34 selected stem cell products is not compromised by cryopreservation

“…There are emerging data that support the idea that allogeneic stem cell products can be safely cryopreserved . However, reports with cryopreserved PBSCs have also shown increased infusion reactions, delayed PLT engraftment, and possible impact on chronic GVHD . There have also been concerns about reduced function of immune effector T cells with cryopreservation…”

“…Cryopreserved products may enhance safety by guaranteeing the availability of a quality‐controlled graft before initiating myeloablative therapy. Although there is no known correlation between the infusion of cryopreserved HPCs and a decreased overall survival and cryopreservation is generally considered to be safe, a few studies previously reported that it is associated with infusion reactions, delayed platelet (PLT) engraftment, and possibly chronic GVHD . To assess whether cryopreservation of the CD34+‐selected product compromises transplant outcomes, we performed a retrospective analysis of neutrophil and PLT engraftment for haploidentical products that were freshly infused versus cryopreserved, thawed, and infused.…”

From production to patient: challenges and approaches for delivering cell therapies

“…Similarly, freshly thawed MSCs showed significantly reduced viability (as low as 44%) as well as a decreased ability to suppress T-cell proliferation in vitro and respond to IFN␥ compared to actively growing MSCs (François et al, 2012). Furthermore, the debate on the impact of cryopreservation on allogeneic HSC transplant engraftment and risk of GvHD continues (Frey et al, 2006;Parody et al, 2013). Unsurprisingly, thawed MSCs that were cultured for 24 hours regained these immunomodulatory-linked functions (François et al, 2012) and thawed T regulatory cells that are cultured post thaw also regained their suppressive activity in vitro compared with freshly thawed cells (Peters et al, 2008).…”