UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD SPECIMENS IN THE NHLBI REPOSITORY

September 2005

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) specimens, collected as part of the NHLBI funded Cord Blood Transplantation (COBLT) Study, are being made available to investigators for non-clinical scientific research through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen Repository (Repository). The specimens were collected, processed, labeled, cryopreserved and stored using standardized procedures. Details of the procedures can be found in the COBLT Cord Blood Bank Standard Operating Procedures at http://pub.emmes.com/study/cord/sop.htm

Specimen Type:

Cryopreserved UCB (25 mL bag); Cryopreserved UCB aliquot (1-2 mL cryo-vial); UCB leukocyte-poor plasma; UCB granulocyte/packed red cells; Maternal/donor whole blood; Maternal/donor serum.

Specimen Data:

Table 1, UCB Specimen Data, provides the collection, processing, characterization, and HLA typing data available for UCB specimens. Investigators requiring specimens with specific characteristics should use this table to specify selection parameters in their request. Investigators may request that a list of potential specimens be provided to them to facilitate specimen selection.

For each shipped specimen a hard copy of the data will be provided. Investigators may also request an electronic copy of the data.

Cost of Specimens:

The cost of shipping specimens will be paid for by the requestor. At the current time, there will be no additional fees.

Requesting Specimens:

Specimens must be requested using the procedures and forms described in Specimen Request Information at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/medres/reposit/specimen.htm.

Additional Requirement for Requesting COBLT Specimens:

Investigators applying for COBLT specimens must include a statement in their request stating that they will provide post-thaw data on all 25 mL cryopreserved UCB units. The statement must include a description of the data that will be provided, the data submission format and indicate when the data will be provided. At a minimum, data on post-thaw viability (trypan blue), total nucleated cell count, product sterility, and cryo-bag integrity must be provided. Investigators are requested to submit CFU-GM, CFU-GEMM and BFU-E data if available.

Specimen Availability:

Cryopreserved UCB in 25 mL bags may be requested after October 1, 2005 by investigators currently at institutions that participated in the COBLT Study. Investigators from other institutions may request these specimens after January 1, 2006.

Specimens associated with UCB units transplanted on the COBLT Study may be requested after January 1, 2006 by investigators who were members the COBLT Steering Committee. These samples include cryopreserved UCB aliquots, UCB leukocyte-poor plasma, UCB granulocyte/packed red cells, maternal/donor whole blood and maternal/donor serum. The number of these samples is limited.

NOTE: Only investigators who were members of the COBLT Steering Committee may request samples associated with transplanted COBLT UCBs

Plans have not been finalized for the future use of cryopreserved UCB aliquots, UCB leukocyte-poor plasma, UCB granulocyte/packed red cells, maternal/donor whole blood and maternal/donor serum samples associated with non-transplanted UCB units.

Please call or email Dr. Luiz Barbosa at (301) 435-0065 or BarbosaL@nhlbi.nih.gov if you have any questions regarding the request process or the availability of COBLT specimens.

Table 1 UCB Specimen Data

Variable Label	Description	Variable Name
Category of CBU	Computed variable with values: “Eligible” – passing all COBLT criteria “Q/A” – not passing COBLT criteria with reason for discard provided	status
HLA A-1	HLA typing results for HLA – A, -B and –DRB1	A1
HLA A-2		A2
HLA B-1		B1
HLA B-2		B2
HLA DRB1-1		DRB11
HLA DRB1-2		DRB12
Year of Collection	Year the unit was collected.	Coll_yr
Collection elapsed time	Time from start of collection to end of collection (minutes).	collmins
Hours from collection to receipt	Time from end of collection to receipt at cord blood bank (hours).	hrcolrct
Hours in processing	Time from start of processing to end of processing (hours).	Hr_proc
Hours collection to processing	Time from end of collection to start of processing (hours)	hrcolpro
Collection volume (mL)	Volume + anticoagulant	volccb
Blood Type		btabo
Blood Rh		btph
Pre-proc. automated NCC (x10^6)		ancc
Pre-proc. % viability	By Trypan Blue	pctvia
Pre-proc. % nucleated erythrocytes		pctne
Pre-proc. % mononuclear cells		pctmono
Pre-proc. viable TNCC (x10^8)	Computed field	tnpre
Pre-proc.TMCC (x10^8)	Computed field.	tmpre
Post-proc. automated NCC (x10^6)	Post volume is 25 mL	Dancc
Post-proc. % viability		Dpctvia
Post-proc. hematocrit		Dhemato
Post-proc. % nucleated erythrocytes		dpctne
Post- proc. % mononuclear cells		dpctmono
Post-proc. viable TNCC (x10^8)	Computed filed	tnpost
Post-proc. TMCC (x10^8)	Computed field	tmpost
Total CD45 cells x 10^8	Computed field - total CD45+ and not per ml.	cd45tot
% CD34+	Computed field.	newpc34
Total CD34+  (x 10^6)	Computed field	tot34
CD34+ per ul	Computed field	cd34pul
Total CD34+/CD61+ (x10^4)	Computed field	tot61
Total CD34+/CD38- (x10^4)	Computed field	tot38
Total CD34+/CD38+ (x10^4)	Computed field	tot38p
Total CD34+/CD90+ (x10^4)	Computed field	tot90
Total CFU-GM (x10^5)		tcfugm
Total CFU-GEMM (x10^5)		tcfugemm
Total BFU-E (x10^5)		tbfue
Total CFU (x10^6)	Computed variable sums tcfugm, tcfugemm and tbfue from the Graft Characterization form to yield total colony forming units.	Cfu
CD3  per ul	Computed field replaces	pul3
Total CD3+ (x10^7)	Computed field	tot3B
CD3+/CD4+ (x10^7)	Computed field	cd4plus
CD3+/CD8+ (x10^7)	Computed field	cd8plus
Total CD3+/CD4+/CD8+ (x10^7)	Computed field	t_cd4p8p
Total CD3+/CD4-/CD8- (x10^7)	Computed field	t_cd4m8m
Total CD19+ (x10^7)	Computed field	cd19plus
Total CD16+/CD56+ (x 10^7)	Computed field	cd56plus
Mother/Father ethnicity	Computed field that combines the broad racial/ethnic categories of mother and father’s ethnicity.	Mothfath
Gestational age group	Computed field with values: “< 40 weeks” “ 40 weeks”	Gestagrp
Birth weight group	Computed field with values: “ 3500 grams” “> 3500 grams”	Bthwtgrp
Primary Reason for Discard	Computed field based on all the possible primary reasons for discard if unit discarded.	Primreas

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