PLACENTA UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD: DETERMINATION OF THE SUITABILITY FOR HAEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) contains sufficient number of haematopoietic stem
cell and progenitor cells that can be used for autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation
in children and adolescents. It has several advantages as it is easily available, involves non
invasive collection, better tolerance across the HLA barrier and less complicated by GVHD.
Following the first Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) in 1988, over 1000 umbilical
cord blood transplantation (UCBT) have been done. CD34+cells, total nucleated cells (TNC)
and viability count are the main parameters used in clinical practice to estimate stem cell dose
infused during transplant and also used to predict engraftment.
Objective: The present study was carried out to assess the suitability of umbilical cord blood
stem cells for Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation by using CD34+ cells count, total
nucleated cells count and viability of the cord blood stem cells
Materials and methods: A cross sectional study conducted in University of Benin Teaching
Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. A total of thirty-three umbilical cord blood were collected from
the placenta after delivery. CD34+ cells were enumerated using flow cytometer. Viability count
was done with molecular exclusion dye 7-aminoactinomycin D using flow cytometer and
Haematology Analyser was used to assess TNC.
Results: CD 34+ cells count ranged between 2.0 – 6.99 x 104cells/ml with a mean value of 3.89
± 1.48 x 104cells/ml. Mean value of TNC was 11.14 ± 4.47 x 106 cells/ml with a range of 4.80
21.10 x106 cells/ml while the mean value for viability count was 90.0 ± 9.57 % with a range of
60.0 – 98.2 %. The study showed a positive correlation between CD34+ cells and TNC count (r
= 0.760, p=0.000) and a negative correlation between viability and processing time (r = -0.859,
p=0.000). In addition, maternal parity showed a significant inverse relationship with TNC and
CD34+ cells.
Conclusion: The study showed that CD34+cells, TNC and viability count of UCB are within the
acceptable values for transplantation using cord blood. There is a direct positive correlation
between TNC and CD34+ counts. In Nigeria, the use UCB technique in HSCT can be explored
as it promises immense benefits in stem cell transplantation as obtainable in more organized
centres

PLACENTA UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD: DETERMINATION OF THE SUITABILITY FOR HAEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL NIGERIA