Effects of filtration and gamma radiation on the accumulation of RANTES and transforming growth factor-β1 in apheresis platelet concentrates during storage

BACKGROUND: Platelet-derived biologic response modifiers (BRMs) including RANTES and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 accumulate in platelet components during storage because of platelet activation, and they may play a causative role in nonhemolytic febrile transfusion reactions. The majority of PCs with high unit values are provided by single donor apheresis in Japan. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: RANTES and TGF-beta 1 levels in platelet units prepared from single-donor apheresis platelet concentrates (apheresis PCs) and units from whole blood (buffy coat PCs) were investigated. The effects of prestorage and poststorage filtration and gamma radiation on the levels of RANTES and TGF beta 1 in the supernatant of apheresis PCs during storage were also examined. RESULTS: The levels of RANTES and TGF-beta 1 increased during storage from Day 0 to Day 5. The levels of RANTES and of TGF-beta 1 correlated with the platelet concentration (p<0.01), but not with the residual white cell concentration in apheresis PCs that were not white cell reduced by filtration (p>0.05). In addition, there was a correlation between RANTES and TGF-beta 1 levels (p<0.01). In white cell-reduced apheresis PCs using negatively charged filters as well as in gamma-radiated apheresis PCs, the levels of these two BRMs did not differ at any storage time from those of untreated apheresis PCs. Filtration of apheresis PCs with negatively charged filters after 3 days of storage significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of RANTES, but not of TGF-beta 1. There was no reduction in the levels of RANTES and TGF-beta 1 levels by positively charged filters. The RANTES levels in buffy coat PCs were slightly higher than but not significantly different from those of apheresis PCs during storage, except for the level on Day 1. There were no differences in the TGF-beta 1 levels in apheresis and buffy coat PCs during storage. CONCLUSION: Prestorage filtration and gamma radiation had neither preventive effects on the accumulation of RANTES and TGF-beta 1 nor adverse effects on platelet activation. Negatively charged filters might be useful for the reducing the levels of RANTES in stored apheresis PCs.