Mobilization as a Preparative Regimen for Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) Transplantation in Rhesus Macaques.
Authors: Larochelle Andre , Perez Cynthia L. , Krouse Allen , Metzger Mark , Fricker Simon , Bridger Gary , Orlic Donald , Donahue Robert E. , Abkowitz Janis L. , Dunbar Cynthia E. 
Published: April 2020

The myeloablative conditioning regimens currently used for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Alternative strategies to promote engraftment of infused HSCs with increased safety warrant investigation. In a murine model, we previously demonstrated that, in absence of irradiation, mobilization with AMD3100 (a CXCR4 antagonist) before marrow transplantation vacated microenvironmental niches and resulted in higher levels of engraftment of transplanted HSCs compared to controls (no AMD3100 treatment before transplantation) (Abkowitz JL et al., Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts)104 (11): 1187, 2004). In this study, we hypothesized that AMD3100 mobilization before transplantation could also promote HSC engraftment in a large animal model, eliminating the need for toxic myeloablative conditioning. Peripheral blood cells from two rhesus macaques were collected by apheresis 3 hours after administration of a single dose of AMD3100 1mg/Kg. CD34+ cells were enriched and transduced for four days in the presence of cytokines and fibronectin with non-expression Moloney murine leukemia virus-derived retroviral vectors (G1PLI) that carry a bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase resistance gene (neoR). The neoR-marked CD34+ cells were reinfused in the non-myeloablated animals, immediately after AMD3100 mobilization and apheresis repeated on the day of transplantation. NeoR-marking levels of approximately 0.1% were detected in both peripheral blood MNC and granulocytes at two months (animal 2RC102) and four months (animal RQ4791) after transplantation. Previous transplantation studies performed without prior myeloablative conditioning or mobilization preparative regimen resulted in no long-term in vivo gene marking. We mathematically confirmed that this observed level of gene marking is what can be expected when AMD3100 mobilization is used as a conditioning regimen. Previous studies have estimated the number of long-term repopulating HSCs at 6 per 105 CD34+ cells (Abkowitz JL et al, Blood96: 3399, 2000). In animal RQ4791, approximately 4.5X107 CD34+ cells, and therefore 2700 HSCs, were mobilized after AMD3100 administration. The total number of HSCs per animal is thought to be conserved in mammals and has been estimated at 11,000 to 22,000 (Abkowitz JL et al, Blood100: 2665, 2002). Hence, 12–24% of HSCs were mobilized after a single dose of AMD3100, consequently opening 12–24% of microenvironmental niches for engraftment. If 1% of engrafted HSCs are marked, 0.12–0.24% long-term marking levels are expected, correlating well with the observed marking level of 0.1%. These results imply that the number of available niches in large animals, as in murine models, regulates the number of HSCs that engraft. As importantly, mobilization with AMD3100 could provide a non-toxic preparative approach in large mammals, including humans, to improve HSC engraftment in transplantation for genetic and other nonmalignant disorders.