Brankica Culibrk

Implementation of buffy coat platelet component production: comparison to platelet-rich plasma platelet production

BACKGROUND: Buffy coat (BC) production of platelets (PLTs) has been successfully used in Europe for more than two decades. Currently, Canadian Blood Services is implementing the BC method. This article summarizes results of the validation testing performed to qualify the process of PLT production from whole blood and compares the quality of PLTs produced in routine production by either the PLT‐rich plasma method (PRP‐PCs) or the BC method (BC‐PCs).

Buffy-coat platelet variables and metabolism during storage in additive solutions or plasma

BACKGROUND: Buffy‐coat processing allows for the use of platelet additive solutions (PASs). PASs reduce plasma‐associated transfusion reactions and conserve plasma for transfusion or fractionation. Platelet (PLT) storage in plasma was compared to storage in three commercially available PASs compared to assess their influence on in vitro laboratory variables.

Riboflavin and ultraviolet light treatment potentiates vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein Ser-239 phosphorylation in platelet concentrates during storage

BACKGROUND: Pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs) were developed to improve the safety of platelet concentrates (PCs) for transfusion purposes; however, several studies report a negative impact on the in vitro and in vivo platelet (PLT) quality. Therefore, analyses of the underlying molecular processes triggered by PRT treatments are necessary to understand their effects on PLT function.

Riboflavin and ultraviolet light treatment of platelets triggers p38MAPK signaling: inhibition significantly improves in vitro platelet quality after pathogen reduction treatment

Pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs) significantly reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents in platelet (PLT) concentrates; however, in vitro studies reveal a negative impact on PLT quality after PRT treatment including effects on PLT aggregation, integrin αIIbβ3 conformation, and actin dynamics. Clinically, the interval between transfusions is shortened.

Plasma and cryoprecipitate manufactured from whole blood held overnight at room temperature meet quality standards.

BACKGROUND: With buffy coat (BC) processing of whole blood (WB) donations, the preparation of plasma occurs within 24 hours rather than 8 hours of collection. The effect of this change on coagulation factor function in plasma and cryoprecipitate was evaluated during the validation of this production method and with routine production.

Novel system for storage of buffy-coat-derived platelet concentrates in a glucose-based platelet additive solution: parameters and metabolism during storage and comparison to plasma.

Background  In Europe, buffy‐coat processing allows for the use of platelet additive solutions (PAS). These solutions, however, have long been questioned for their lack of glucose, a potentially essential nutrient for platelet storage. Using a novel, practical, two‐part system for incorporation of glucose into an additive solution (PAS‐G), this study compares platelet storage in plasma to storage in PAS‐G.

p38MAPK is involved in apoptosis development in apheresis platelet concentrates after riboflavin and ultraviolet light treatment

Pathogen inactivation (PI) accelerates the platelet (PLT) storage lesion, including apoptotic‐like changes. Proteomic studies have shown that phosphorylation levels of several kinases increase in PLTs after riboflavin and UV light (RF‐PI) treatment. Inhibition of p38MAPK improved in vitro PLT quality, but the biochemical basis of this kinases contribution to PLT damage requires further analysis.

Whole blood treated with riboflavin and ultraviolet light: quality assessment of all blood components produced by the buffy coat method.

Pathogen inactivation (PI) technologies are currently licensed for use with platelet (PLT) and plasma components. Treatment of whole blood (WB) would be of benefit to the blood banking community by saving time and costs compared to individual component treatment. However, no paired, pool‐and‐split study directly assessing the impact of WB PI on the subsequently produced components has yet been reported.

Optimization of platelet concentrate quality: application of proteomic technologies to donor management.

Quality management of blood products is essential for blood banking. It is influenced by both processing and donor characteristics and assured by monitoring routine in vitro parameters to defined product specifications. However, these measures correlate poorly with the in vivo behavior of transfused platelets and cannot be used to select optimal donors. Since radiolabeled platelet recovery and survival studies are expensive and time consuming, there is an ongoing search for simpler measures that predict platelet transfusion outcomes. We performed a pilot study using semi-qualitative proteomics to assess changes in the platelet protein profile of donors with either acceptable or unacceptable in vivo radiolabeled autologous platelet recovery and survival measurements. Proteins changing during a 9-day storage period included cytoskeletal elements talin, vinculin and moesin as well as signal transduction proteins 14-3-3, RhoGDI and Rap1. Two of nine donations exhibited a decrease in these proteins and poor in vivo platelet recovery and survival whereas the remaining donors showed acceptable platelet recovery and survival and expected protein profiles. Analyses revealed a significant correlation between protein levels of Rap1 and RhoGDI during storage and platelet recovery and survival. This study provides for the first time preliminary data showing evidence of the utility of protein profiling to predict platelet transfusion quality. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Integrated omics.

Development of a quality monitoring program for platelet components: a report of the first four years' experience at Canadian Blood Services

BACKGROUND: A quality monitoring program (QMP) for platelet concentrates (PCs) was implemented at Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to improve standards and to better understand platelet (PLT) products by supplementing routine quality control (QC).