Packed Red Blood Cell Supernatants Do Not Promote Growth or Cisplatin Resistance of Myeloid Leukemia K-562 Cells

Background: A decreased immune surveillance as a consequence of packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions has been linked to cancer recurrence and progression, but a causal mechanism remains unclear. During processing and storage of PRBC, numerous bioactive substances accumulate in the acellular fraction (supernatant) of PRBC. Aim: The study aimed to determine whether the supernatant of leukocyte-reduced (LR) and non-leukocyte-reduced (NLR) long-stored PRBC can modulate the survival and proliferation of myeloid leukemia K-562 cells, and the influence of cisplatin (cisPt) on these processes. Methods: Viability, proliferation, DNA damage, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 levels were determined in response to the LR or NLR, fresh (day 1) and long-stored (day 42) PRBCs. Results: The supernatants of fresh (day 1) and stored (day 42) PRBC, in the absence and presence of cisPt, promoted apoptosis of K-562 cells via the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased level of DNA damage, which was manifested by the viability reduction and inhibition of K-562 cell proliferation. No significant influence of the pre-storage leukocyte-filtration and storage time of PRBC units on their anti-proliferative effect was demonstrated. Conclusion: The findings may suggest that the PRBC acellular fraction does not affect chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) progression. However, these issues are pioneering and require further study.

Automated summary

The study found that the acellular fraction of stored PRBC does not affect the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia. However, further research is needed to confirm these results.