T Regulatory Cells in Graft-Versus-Host Disease of the Skin

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 4354-4354
Author(s):  
Jose Azar ◽  
Steven Billings ◽  
Jennifer E. Schwartz ◽  
Yunlong Liu ◽  
Menggang Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract FoxP3+ CD25+ T regulatory (Treg) cells are known to be present in normal skin. Treg cell functional deficiency resulting in loss of suppression of activation, differentiation or expansion of effector T cells could conceivably contribute to the pathophysiology of graft-versus- host disease (GVHD). Rezvani et al. suggest that levels of peripheral blood Treg cells in donors and recipients may predict the risk of acute GVHD. Rieger et al. found a significantly lower number of Treg cells in human colonic biopsies with GVHD versus CMV colitis or normal samples. There are no reports that evaluate tissue Treg cells in human skin affected by GVHD. This study was conducted to evaluate the distribution of Treg cells in skin affected by acute GVHD versus chronic GVHD. Archived samples from patients previously reported by routine histopathological methods as acute or chronic GVHD were collected, coded and entered into a database. For immunostaining, 4-μm thick serial sections were cut and deparaffinized. Immunohistochemical stains for CD4 (Neomarkers, 1:20), CD8 (Dako, prediluted), CD25 (Dako, 1:100), and Foxp3 (Serotec, 1:250) were performed using standard techniques. The dermatopathologist evaluating the samples was blinded to the clinical outcomes. Results were scored as 0 (<10% of lymphocytes positive), 1+ (10–25% positive), 2+ (26–50% positive), and 3+ (≥50% positive). Fourteen patients with acute skin GVHD and seventeen with chronic GVHD were identified from a database of patients who had undergone nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood transplantation in the recent past. The average scores for each immunostain were calculated and are summarized in table 1. The average FoxP3 score in acute GVHD specimens was significantly lower than that in chronic GVHD specimens (average, 0.57 versus 1.41; p-value = 0.011). The average scores of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD25 immunostains were not significantly different between acute and chronic GVHD biopsies. These findings represent the initial observation of a distinction between the distribution of regulatory T cells in acute and chronic GVHD of the skin. These observations should be confirmed in a larger sample, supported by functional assays of Treg cells, and correlated with clinical outcomes. Such studies may help to elucidate the role of Treg cells in acute and chronic skin GVHD. Table 1. Average score CD 3 CD 4 CD 8 CD 25 Fox P3 Acute GVHD 2.93 2.21 2.14 0.29 0.57 Chronic GVHD 2.82 2.44 2.24 0.71 1.41 p-value 1.00 0.42 0.43 0.34 0.011

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 3748-3748
Author(s):  
Sya N. Ukena ◽  
Jens Grosse ◽  
Stefanie Buchholz ◽  
Michael Stadler ◽  
Arnold Ganser ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3748 Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) remains the major clinical complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) resulting in severe morbidity and significant mortality. This alloreactive immune response is mainly induced by donor T cells transplanted with the graft. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an essential role in the induction and maintenance of peripheral tolerance. In addition, data from murine models have shown that Tregs can prevent GvHD while preserving the graft-versus-leukemia effect. In order to functionally and dynamically characterize human Tregs after allogeneic SCT, we analyzed CD4+CD25highCD127dim T cells isolated from the peripheral blood of more than 80 patients with hematological malignancies every 30 days over half a year following SCT. Patients were divided into the following clinical groups: (A) no signs of acute or chronic GvHD, (B) acute GvHD, (C) chronic GvHD and (D) acute GvHD passed into chronic GvHD. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated by Ficoll gradient and CD4+CD14−CD25highCD127dim T cells were isolated by MoFlow cell sorting. Isolated RNA was pooled and microarray analysis was performed by using Affymetrix HG_U133_Plus2.0 Arrays. Results were verified by using quantitative realtime RT-PCR. Additionally, Tregs were phenotypically analyzed by FACS. We monitored a continous but slower recovery of Tregs in GvHD within the first 6 months following PBSCT. Manifestation of acute and chronic GvHD correlated with significantly reduced frequencies of peripheral Tregs in the first month after PBSCT compared to patients without GvHD. Microarray data revealed a high stability of the Treg transcriptome in the first half year representing the most sensitive time window for tolerance induction. Moreover, comparison of the Treg gene expression profiles from patients with and without GvHD point to a reduced suppressive function of Tregs with diminished migration capacity to the target organs likely contributing to the development of GvHD. Our findings corroborate the impact of human Tregs in the pathophysiology of GvHD and identify novel targets for the manipulation of Tregs to optimize strategies for prophylaxis and treatment of life-threatening GvHD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 2886-2886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uwe Platzbecker ◽  
Caroline Pabst ◽  
Alexander Kiani ◽  
Johannes Schetelig ◽  
Martin Wermke ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: The use of a calcineurin-inhibitor in combination with methotrexate is the current standard in the prophylaxis of graft versus host disease (GVHD). Everolimus is a newly developed m-TOR inhibitor, which, besides a potent immunosuppressive action including the stimulation of regulatory CD4+foxp3+ T-cells (Tregs), seems to mediate anti-neoplastic effects in MDS and AML. Methods: We report results of a prospective study investigating for the first time a combination of everolimus (days 0–56) with tacrolimus (starting day 0) in 16 patients with MDS (RCMD n=3, RAEB-1 n=3, RAEB-2 n=3, CMMOL-1 n=1, CMMOL-2 n=1, MDS/AML n=1) or de novo AML (n=4) undergoing allogeneic myeloablative conditioning (busulfan 16 mg/kg over 4 days, fludarabine 120 mg/m² over 4 days) followed by a median of 7.0 x 106/kg CD34+ peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) from related (n=2) or unrelated donors (n=14). It is of note that 5 unrelated donor/recipient pairs displayed one allel-mismatch whereas all others were matched in 10 out 10 HLA characters. The median age of the patients was 61 years (range 47–69) and the majority (n=7) of MDS patients were classified INT-2 or HIGH according to IPSS. Results: All patients engrafted a median of 14 days (platelets) and 17 days (neutrophils) after transplant. On day 21 and 56 after PBSCT the median number of CD4+foxp3+ cells in the blood was not significantly different from normal donors (patients, n=5: 3.2 and 2.3 x 104/ul, controls n=4: 3.7 x 104/ul) Nevertheless, the rate of acute GVHD was moderate with five patients (31 %) developing acute GVHD grade II and only one patient experiencing grade IV GVHD after cessation of immunosuppression due to thrombotic-thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Decrease of thrombocytes together clinical signs of TTP were seen in two additional patients while four patients developed VOD of the liver, which was fatal in one case. Extensive chronic GVHD was seen in 50 % of evaluable patients. Mucositis CTC grade III was observed in 5 patients only. The total day 100 mortality rate was 19 % and currently eleven out of sixteen patients (69%) are alive and in remission. Conclusion: Everolimus and tacrolimus are highly efficient in preventing GVHD after unrelated PBSCT in older patients with MDS and AML, which seems not to be mediated by an increase in Tregs. Nevertheless, side effects associated with thrombotic microangiopathy might be more prevalent compared to other regimens.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (10) ◽  
pp. 3804-3813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Chen ◽  
Sanja Vodanovic-Jankovic ◽  
Bryon Johnson ◽  
Melissa Keller ◽  
Richard Komorowski ◽  
...  

Abstract Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the major complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The process whereby acute GVHD mediated by alloreactive donor T cells transitions into chronic GVHD, which is characterized by prominent features of auto-immunity, has long been unresolved. In this study, we demonstrate that GVHD-associated autoimmunity and, by extension, chronic GVHD is attributable to the progressive loss of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells during the course of acute GVHD. This leads to the expansion of donor-derived CD4+ T cells with TH1 and TH17 cytokine phenotypes that release proinflammatory cytokines and cause autoimmune-mediated pathological damage. These T cells are present early after transplantation, indicating that the pathophysiological events that lead to chronic GVHD are set in motion during the acute phase of GVHD. We conclude that the absence of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells coupled with unregulated TH1 and TH17 cells leads to the development of autoimmunity and that donor-derived TH1 and TH17 cells serve as the nexus between acute and chronic GVHD.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 2987-2987
Author(s):  
Tina J Boeld ◽  
Kristina Doser ◽  
Corinna Lang-Schwarz ◽  
Elisabeth Huber ◽  
Reinhard Andreesen ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2987 Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a frequent complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We previously showed that the adoptive transfer of donor-type CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) at the time of BMT prevents acute GVHD in murine models. However, the therapeutic potential of donor-derived Treg cells for the treatment of established acute GVHD has not yet been examined in detail. In analogy to potential clinical applications we now tested the capacity of in vitro expanded Treg cells to ameliorate acute GVHD after haploidentical BMT (BALB/c→CB6F1). CD4+CD25highCD62L+ Treg cells were purified by FACS and stimulated polyclonally using anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads. Cells expanded on average 130±19-fold (n=7) within 2 wks and maintained high levels of FoxP3 expression (96, 8±0, 8% FoxP3+ cells; n=7) as well as potent immunosuppressive activity in vitro. For the induction of acute GVHD CB6F1 recipients were lethally irradiated and transplanted with 2.5×106 BM cells in combination with 5×106 splenocytes. All animals developed severe GVHD by d11, as revealed by an increase of the GVHD severity score (2.3±0.4 in GVHD animals vs 0±0 in BM controls, p<0.001, n=1–11) and by histological analyses of the gut (score: 7.8±0.4 for the GVHD group vs 0.2±0.2 for BM controls, p =0.046, n=3). When animals with acute GVHD were treated with 5×106 expanded CD4+CD25highCD62L+ Treg cells on d11 after BMT, they initially developed progressive GVHD comparable to non-treated GVHD animals, as indicated by weight loss and an increase of the GVHD score. However from d44 post BMT onwards, Treg-treated GVHD animals regained body weight (d44: 75±3% vs 67±2% of initial weight; p <0.05; n=9–10) and their clinical GVHD score (d44: 6±0 vs 4.3±0.4; p <0.05; n=9–10) decreased. While all non-treated GVHD animals succumbed to disease by d67 after transplantation, 50% of Treg-treated GVHD animals survived for at least 100d (p =0, 002; n=16–21). As immune reconstitution and in particular reconstitution of the lymphocyte compartment is impaired in animals with GVHD, we analyzed the effect of Treg therapy on the reconstitution of the lymphoid and myeloid compartment. At d21 after BMT spleen and BM of non-treated as well as Treg-treated GVHD animals were completely lymphopenic as compared to control mice and both organs contained exceptionally high numbers of granulocytes. Unlike non-treated GVHD animals, however, Treg-treated recipients by d60 showed a recovery of the lymphocyte compartment in spleen (10±2.6×106 T cells and 23.5±12.5×106 B cells in Treg-treated vs 3.0±0.6×106 T cells and 1.5±0.4×106 B cells in non-treated GVHD animals vs 26.25±2.6×106 T cells and 63.9±9.1×106 B cells in BM controls) and BM (0.7±0.1×106 T cells and 8.6±4×106 B cells in Treg-treated vs 0.3±0.01×106 T cells and 0.7±0.4 ×106 B cells in non-treated GVHD animals vs 0.4±0.03×106 T cells and 11.2±0.6×106 B cells in BM controls), while the number of granulocytes decreased constantly. Successful treatment with Treg cells was finally accompanied by a reconstitution of the lymphatic system comparable to control mice. Furthermore, successfully treated mice showed only mild histological signs of gut GVHD at d100 that was significantly lower then those in non-treated GVHD animals with end-stage disease (score: 4.2±1 vs 9.9±1.5 in treated vs non-treated animals, p =0.006, n=4–6). Taken together, these results indicate that in vitro expanded natural Treg cells may not only be effective for the prevention, but also for the treatment of acute GVHD after allogeneic BMT. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 5766-5766
Author(s):  
Erden Atilla ◽  
Esmanur Kaplan ◽  
Pinar Ataca Atilla ◽  
Selami Kocak Toprak ◽  
Pervin Topcuoglu ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: EBV seropositivity in general population is 80%. Reactivation of latent infection in pre-transplant seropositive patients causes post-transplant lenfoproliferative disease (PTLD) following Allo-HSCT. The effect of donor EBV positivity on recipient's risk of graft versus host disease is not clear. Our aim is to present EBV seroprevalence and PTLD incidence as well as demonstrating the relation of EBV seropositivity with GVHD. Patients and Methods: A total of 364 allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients and donors were evaluated retrospectively from 2006 to 2015. During Allo-HSCT preparation procedures all recipients and donors were serologically tested. EBV specific IgG (VCA-IgG, EBNAIgG, EA-IgG) and IgM (VCA-IgM) antibodies were determined by Chemiluminescence by ARCHITECT lab analyzers using commercially available kits (Abbott, USA). All patients were followed for reactivation. Results: EBV IgG positivity was detected in 338 of recipients (92.8%) and 283 of donors (77.7%). There was no statistically difference detected between related or unrelated transplants. The mean age was 37 (range 16-67). 217 recipients were male (60%). 295 (81%) patients were transplanted for malign hematological diseases. The majority of patients were grafted from full-matched related donors (258, 71%). The most common source of stem cell was peripheral blood in 299 patients (82%) followed by bone-marrow in 56 patients (15%), bone-marrow plus peripheral blood in 9 patients (3%). 273 (75%) patients received myeloablative conditioning regimen. All patients received prophylactic acyclovir (in related transplants 400mg 3 times daily, in un-related transplants 800mg 3 times daily) starting from conditioning and up to three months posttranplant period. One pretransplant seropositive 26 year-old aplastic anemia patient had PTLD with EBV IgM positivity within 3 months posttransplant. He received 4 cycles of rituximab and prednisolone and achieved complete response. Three patients had EBV IgM positivity in posttransplant 4, 9 and 24th months with symptoms of infectious mononucleosis. The seropositivity resolved without treatment. Acute GVHD developed in 223 patients (61%) whereas chronic GVHD was detected in 285 (78%) of patients. The incidence of acute GVHD was similar when donor was EBV seropositive compared to seronegative (78% vs 22%, p=0.72). Chronic GVHD incidence was similar between donor EBV seropositive group compared to seronegative group (80% vs 20%, P=0.199). Conclusion: EBV seropositivity is common detected in 92.8% of our allo-HSCT recipient cohort. Donor EBV status did not have an effect on developing acute or chronic GVHD. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 1816-1816
Author(s):  
Takero Shindo ◽  
Takayuki Ishikawa ◽  
Akiko Fukunaga ◽  
Toshiyuki Hori ◽  
Takashi Uchiyama

Abstract Chronic graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a serious complication, for which limited therapeutic approaches exist. Thymus-derived autoreactive as well as alloreactive T cells are shown to be involved in the development of chronic GVHD and CD4+ T cells are regarded to play a central role. OX40 (CD134) is known to play an important role in co-stimulation and survival elongation of CD4+ T cells, and murine models revealed that the interaction of OX40/OX40-ligand constitutes an essential parts in autoimmune and alloimmune responses. Since we showed that the increase of CD4+OX40+ T cells in peripheral blood of allo-HSCT recipients precedes the occurrence of chronic GVHD (Kotani A et al. Blood2001; 98: 3162–4), we have paid attention to the role of peripheral blood CD4+OX40+ T cells in the development of chronic GVHD. To further know the characteristics of peripheral blood CD4+OX40+ T cells from patients after allo-HSCT, we analyzed surface phenotype and the ability of cytokine production of CD4+ T cells from 25 allo-HSCT recipients. A majority of CD4+OX40+ T cells showed CD45RO+CD62L+CCR7+, while CD4+OX40− T cells were mainly CD45RO+CD62L−CCR7−. When stimulated with PMA and ionomycin, a significant part of CD4+OX40+ T cells produced interleukin-2 (IL-2). In contrast, a majority of CD4+OX40−HLA-DR+ T cells, the ratio of which also increased in peripheral blood of allo-HSCT recipients, produced interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Thus, the pattern of the expression of activation antigens on CD4+ T cells is a landmark of the potential to produce IL-2 or IFN-γ. When clinical data were combined, patients suffering from chronic GVHD showed increased ratio of IL-2-producing CD4+OX40+ T cells among CD4+ T cells (more than 10%). In fact, it correlates more closely (p=0.016) to the occurrence of chronic GVHD than the ratio of CD4+OX40+ T cells or that of IL-2-producing CD4+ T cells (p=0.06). Interestingly, the ratio of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells does not correlate (p=0.95), suggesting that they do not contribute to the process of ongoing chronic GVHD. As CD4+OX40+ T cells share the characteristics of central memory T cells, we hypothesized that CD4+OX40+ T cells, which home secondary lymphoid organs, are stimulated with antigens and develop into effector cells, some of which induce chronic GVHD. Then we collected CD4+ T cells from recipients of allo-HSCT and sorted them into OX40+ and OX40− fractions. When sorted cells were stimulated with immobilized anti-CD3 and soluble anti-CD28 (CD3/28 stimulation), IL-2-producing cells were detected mainly in OX40+ fraction and IFN-γ-producing cells were abundantly and exclusively observed in OX40− fraction. When sorted cells were stimulated with CD3/28 for 48 hr, followed by 4-day cultivation with IL-2, OX40+ cells showed vigorous growth without reducing viability. In addition, re-stimulation with CD3/CD28 revealed that OX40+ cells produce a large amount of IFN-γ or IL-4. In this way, peripheral blood CD4+OX40+ T cells have potential to easily differenciate into effector cells, which may contribute to the development of chronic GVHD. The signaling from OX40 may also accelerate this process. Targeted therapy against IL2-producing CD4+OX40+ T cells may afford a breakthrough in the treatment of chronic GVHD.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 2129-2138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongchang Zhao ◽  
Chunyan Zhang ◽  
Tangsheng Yi ◽  
Chia-Lei Lin ◽  
Ivan Todorov ◽  
...  

Abstract CD103 (αEβ7) has been shown to be an excellent marker for identifying in vivo–activated FoxP3+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells. It is unknown whether reinfusion of in vivo–activated donor-type CD103+ Treg cells from recipient can ameliorate ongoing chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Here, we showed that, in a chronic GVHD model of DBA/2 (H-2d) donor to BALB/c (H-2d) recipient, donor-type CD103+ Treg cells from recipients were much more potent than CD25hi natural Treg cells from donors in reversing clinical signs of GVHD and tissue damage. Furthermore, in contrast to CD25hi natural Treg cells, CD103+ Treg cells expressed high levels of CCR5 but low levels of CD62L and directly migrated to GVHD target tissues. In addition, the CD103+ Treg cells strongly suppressed donor CD4+ T-cell proliferation; they also induced apoptosis of in vivo–activated CD4+ T and B cells and significantly reduced pathogenic T and B cells in GVHD target tissues. These results indicate that CD103+ Treg cells from chronic GVHD recipients are functional, and reinfusion of the CD103+ Treg cells can shift the balance between Treg cells and pathogenic T cells in chronic GVHD recipients and ameliorate ongoing disease.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2239-2239
Author(s):  
Dae-Young Kim ◽  
Je-Hwan Lee ◽  
Jung-Hee Lee ◽  
Se Hyung Kim ◽  
Sung-nam Lim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed new consensus criteria for the diagnosis and scoring of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Using the new system, we re-evaluated the patients with cGVHD that was diagnosed by classic criteria. Methods: Of 618 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from December 1994 to April 2008 at the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, we retrieved 236 patients who had cGVHD by classic criteria from the AMC BMT Registry. Among 236 patients, 20 patients with liver-only involvement could not be diagnosed as cGVHD by the NIH criteria, thus we reclassified and graded 216 patients according to the NIH criteria. We also evaluated the ability of the NIH criteria to stratify and predict the risk of cGVHD patients, as assessed by GVHD-specific survival (GSS). Results: Twenty patients (9.3%) were reclassified as acute GVHD by NIH criteria (‘classic acute’ in 7 and ‘persistent, recurrent, or late-onset acute’ in 13) and 196 patients (90.7%) remained as chronic GVHD (‘classic chronic’ [Cl-Ch] in 170 and ‘overlap syndrome’ [Ov-Sy] in 26). Median age of 196 patients with cGVHD by NIH criteria, 119 males and 77 females, was 35.5 years (range, 15 to 57). Acute GVHD preceded cGVHD in 70 patients (35.7%). The probability of GSS at 5 years was 86.2% with 22 cGVHD-related deaths. The GSS was significantly different between two subtypes of cGVHD by NIH criteria: 88.6% for Cl-Ch vs 70.2% for Ov-Sy (p=0.002). NIH global scoring system stratified risk of cGVHD patients better than stage by classic criteria at both onset and peak of cGVHD (Table 1). We evaluated 12 variables at onset of cGVHD to determine their prognostic significance for GSS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that NIH global score at onset (mild vs moderate, HR 6.1, p=0.027; mild vs. severe, HR 7.0, p=0.015), preceding aGVHD (no vs. yes, HR 6.2, p=0.001), and number of HLA ABDR mismatch (0 vs. 1, HR 2.0, p=0.555; 0 vs 2, HR 200.4, p=0.009) were independent predictors for GSS. Conclusion: Our results indicate that a new NIH system can provide a proper risk-stratification of patients with cGVHD and global scoring system at onset of cGVHD can predict the prognosis of patients. Table 1. GVHD-specific survival according to NIH global scoring system or stage by classic criteria Onset of cGVHD Peak of cGVHD Pt. No. GSS (5-y) P-value Pt. No. GSS (5-y) P-value NIH criteria mild 70 95.2% 0.022 36 100% 0.004 moderate 64 82.8% 42 92.2% severe 62 79.7% 118 79.6 Classic criteria limited 86 90.1% 0.305 45 97.8% 0.039 extensive 110 83.7% 151 83.0%


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 3045-3045
Author(s):  
Rie Kuroda ◽  
Hideaki Maeba ◽  
Shintaro Mase ◽  
Raita Araki ◽  
Toshihiro Fujiki ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3045 We have reported that measuring the activation markers and homing molecules on T-cells obtained from human peripheral blood (PB) samples provides useful information for predicting acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) severity in affected organs. Although T-cells are major player for developing GVHD, rodent GVHD studies have demonstrated that other immune cells such as monocytes/macrophages, B-cells, and mast cells involved in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic GVHD. We, therefore, evaluated activation markers and homing molecules regularly not only on T-cells but also on monocytes in PB obtained from 31 childhood patients (more than 600 samples at various time points) receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) by multicolor flow cytometry. The following markers were used: CD69, CD25, and HLA-DR for T cell activation, CCR4, CCR5, CXCR3, CCR9, and CLA for homing markers. Inflammatory monocytes were defined as CD14dimCD16+ cells or CD14+CD163+ cells. In addition we combined the data of cytokine profiles secreted mainly by T cells such as soluble interleukin 2 receptor, or monocytes such as neopterin, or both such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), soluble TNF-αRI, and soluble TNF-αRII. In all cases showing acute GVHD, both T-cell and monocyte activation markers were elevated. Only either T-cell or monocyte activation was not observed in acute GVHD cases. However, we have some interesting results classified according to the status of T-cells and monocytes after day 100: 1) In the cases both T-cells and monocytes were highly activated as shown in Figure 1A, tapering of immunosuppressants led to exacerbation of GVHD, and prolonged administration of the drugs including steroids were needed. However steroid response itself was relatively good. 2) In the cases only T-cells, much less monocytes, were activated as shown in Figure 1B, calcineurin inhibitors were quite effective in improving GVHD. 3) In the cases of sustained chronic GVHD, neither T-cells nor mononytes were activated as shown in Figure 1C. Response to immunosuppressants was quite low. 4) When CD4 T-cell repertoire, not CD8, became normal, tapering of drugs was successful. In all cases successfully tapered immunosuppressive drugs, elevated activation markers of T-cells and monocytes completely returned to same levels of normal volunteers. In conclusion, evaluating the activation markers and homing molecules not only on T-cells but also on monocytes, combined with cytokine profiling, might provide useful information for management of patients with prolonged GVHD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey R. Hill ◽  
Rachel D. Kuns ◽  
Neil C. Raffelt ◽  
Alistair L. J. Don ◽  
Stuart D. Olver ◽  
...  

Abstract Suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) is the main intracellular regulator of signaling by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, an immune-modulatory cytokine used to mobilize stem cells for transplantation. We have therefore studied the contribution of SOCS3 to the spectrum of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Grafts from SOCS3−/Δvav donor mice in which SOCS3 deficiency is restricted to the hematopoietic compartment had an augmented capacity to induce acute GVHD. With the use of SOCS3−/ΔLysM and SOCS3−/Δlck donors in which SOCS3 deficiency was restricted to the myeloid or T-cell lineage, respectively, we confirmed SOCS3 deficiency promoted acute GVHD mortality and histopathology within the gastrointestinal tract by effects solely within the donor T cell. SOCS3−/Δlck donor T cells underwent enhanced alloantigen-dependent proliferation and generation of interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-17, and interferon-γ (IFNγ) after SCT. The enhanced capacity of the SOCS3−/Δlck donor T cell to induce acute GVHD was dependent on IFNγ but independent of IL-10 or IL-17. Surprisingly, SOCS3−/Δlck donor T cells also induced severe, transforming growth factor β– and IFNγ-dependent, sclerodermatous GVHD. Thus, the delivery of small molecule SOCS3 mimetics may prove to be useful for the inhibition of both acute and chronic GVHD.


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