The effects of high dose methyl prednisolone and granulocyte colony stimulating factor on peripheral blood cd34 + progenitor cell mobilization in rabbits

In the recent years, peripheral blood CD34+ cell transplantation is increasingly used as alternative theraphy to bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of hematologic and nonhematologic malignancy. The CD34+ cell mobilization procedure includes the administration of hematopoietic growth factors, chemotherapeutic agents or both. Because the high cost of hematopoietic growth factors and the myelotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents, new mobilizing agents are under investigation. Recently, it was indicated that high dose methyl prednisolone (HDMP) caused the increase of CD34+ cell mobilization. Thirtyseven rabbits were included to this study. Cyclophosphamide (CYC) of 1 g/m2 in a single dose was given to all rabbits to obtain the initial values. Percentages of CD34+ cells were measured after five days. Thirtyseven rabbits were divided into four groups. In the first group, 7 rabbits were chosen as controls and serum physiologic (1 ml/kg/day) was given intravenously for seven days. 30 mg/kg/day HDMP and 5 µg/kg/day granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) were given for seven days to the second (n=10) and third (n=10) groups, respectively. The fourth group (n=10) was received 30 mg/kg/day HDMP plus 5 µg/kg/day G-CSF for seven days. While no effective mobilization was provided with CYC, HDMP and G-CSF produced sufficent cell mobilization to peripheral blood. According to HDMP, G-CSF mobilized more CD34+ cells but this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In the fourth group CD34+ cell mobilization was significantly lower than that of G-CSF group (p>0.05). In conclusion HDMP theraphy may be considered as an effective method in CD34+ cell mobilization.