Lack of efficacy of a short ex vivo incubation of human allogeneic donor marrow with recombinant human GM-CSF prior to its infusion into the recipient

Ten patients with haematological malignancy receiving allogeneic transplants from donors other than HLAidentical siblings were prepared for marrow transplantation with antithymocyte globulin, cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg and fractionated total body irradiation 12 Gy, and were given cyclosporin, methotrexate and prednisolone as prophylaxis against graft-versus-host disease post-transplant. The harvested T replete donor marrow was incubated with recombinant human (rh) GM-CSF 10 μg/ml (supersaturating concentration) for 1 h at 37 o C on a gently shaking rocker platform. After incubation the marrow was washed twice in 5% human serum albumin/normal saline and infused into the recipient