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Epithelial cells in PBSC grafts: source of donor-type epithelial cells after allogeneic transplantation?

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 461–462 (2012)Cite this article

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The dogma that hematopoietic SCs can differentiate only into hematopoietic lineage cells has been challenged in the last 10 years by investigators detecting donor-type epithelial cells (ECs) in the lungs, skin, intestine, liver and buccal and nasal mucosa of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 The postulated mechanisms are hematopoietic to epithelial cell transdifferentiation, transdetermination, dedifferentiation, hematopoietic–epithelial cell fusion or phagocytosis of donor leukocyte DNA by recipient ECs. However, the following simpler explanation has been discussed, but not reported in the literature: transfer of epithelial cells or their precursors with the hematopoietic cell graft.6

These CKpos cells that morphologically resembled epithelial cells were detected in all 10 graft specimens and 3/5 peripheral blood specimens. The median count was 15 epithelial cells per five million graft cells (range, 8–34) and five epithelial cells per five million blood mononuclear cells (range, 0–7). The difference between grafts and blood was significant (P=0.007, Mann–Whitney-Wilcoxon test), suggesting that filgrastim may mobilize epithelial cells.7 Comparison of circulating epithelial cells in the same individual, before and after filgrastim treatment was not carried out but could be more conclusive. It is important to note that, consistent with our observation, zero or near-zero circulating epithelial cells have been reported in healthy individuals.8, 9

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Acknowledgements

Sources of funding are as follows: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Canada Research. Chair Program, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Alberta Cancer Foundation. FMK is Barb Ibbotson ACHF Investigator in Pediatric Hematology. JS is a recipient of Canada Research Chair and Alberta Heritage Foundation Clinical Scholar Awards.

Authorship: FMK performed experiments, analyzed data and generated the initial and final draft of the manuscript, SS and MS performed experiments, PL consented subjects and collected specimens, JC supervised microscopic evaluation of slides and edited final draft of the manuscript, JAR recruited allogeneic HCT donors and JS designed the study, edited the drafts and the final version of the manuscript.

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  1. University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    F M Khan, S Sy, P Louie, M Smith, J Chernos, J A Russell & J Storek

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  1. F M Khan
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Correspondence to F M Khan.

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Khan, F., Sy, S., Louie, P. et al. Epithelial cells in PBSC grafts: source of donor-type epithelial cells after allogeneic transplantation?. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 461–462 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.100

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