Highly purified CD34-positive cells reconstitute hematopoiesis.

Abstract

The CD34+ purified grafts were enriched in stem/progenitor cells, with five of these 10 preparations containing > or = 94% CD34+ cells. Engraftment with CD34(+)-purified cell grafts as pure as 99% confirms that autologous CD34+ cells, alone, are sufficient to provide hematopoietic rescue for myeloablated patients. The best purification results were obtained on small marrow harvests from patients with neuroblastoma. The engraftment of highly purified CD34+ cells obtained by this technology and the antitumor effect of the transplant, by which two of 10 poor prognosis patients remain clinically free of tumor, have stimulated further clinical trials.