Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Correspondence
  • Published:

In utero transplantation: baby steps towards an effective therapy

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 36, pages 563–564 (2005)Cite this article

We read the in utero transplantation review by Dr Muench1 with interest. This article describes the successful use of the procedure to transplant foetal patients with immunodeficiency, and attempts to correct other conditions.

However, in order for a procedure to gain widespread acceptance it needs to demonstrate significant benefit over those procedures that it is intended to replace. In utero transplantation can only be offered to those families in which the diagnosis has previously been made. In immunodeficient patients, this applies to families who have had previously affected children. In families with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), the alternative to in utero stem cell transplantation is immediate diagnosis at birth by examination of the umbilical cord lymphocyte phenotype, followed by immediate transfer to a centre performing stem cell transplantation for immunodeficiency. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation performed in the neonatal period avoids the morbidity and cost of treating postnatal acquired infection and failure to thrive, associated with late diagnosis of SCID.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Muench MO . In utero transplantation: baby steps towards an effective therapy. Bone Marrow Transplant 2005; 35: 537–547.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Myers LA, Patel DD, Puck JM, Buckley RH . Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe combined immunodeficiency in the neonatal period leads to superior thymic output and improved survival. Blood 2002; 99: 872–878.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kane L, Gennery AR, Crooks BN et al. Neonatal bone marrow transplantation for severe combined immunodeficiency. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2001; 85: F110–F113.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Flake AW, Zanjani ED . Treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency. N Engl J Med 1999; 341: 291–292.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wengler GS, Lanfranchi A, Frusca T et al. In-utero transplantation of parental CD34 haematopoietic progenitor cells in a patient with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCIDXI). Lancet 1996; 348: 1484–1487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Flake AW, Roncarolo MG, Puck JM et al. Treatment of X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency by in utero transplantation of paternal bone marrow. N Engl J Med 1996; 335: 1806–1810.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Muller SM, Ege M, Pottharst A et al. Transplacentally acquired maternal T lymphocytes in severe combined immunodeficiency: a study of 121 patients. Blood 2001; 98: 1847–1851.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Paediatric Immunology Department, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    C Dawson, M A Slatter & A R Gennery

Authors
  1. C Dawson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M A Slatter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A R Gennery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dawson, C., Slatter, M. & Gennery, A. In utero transplantation: baby steps towards an effective therapy. Bone Marrow Transplant 36, 563–564 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705095

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705095

Search

Advanced search

Quick links