Molecular monitoring of T-cell chimerism early after allogeneic stem cell transplantation may predict the occurrence of acute GVHD grades II-IV

Clin Transplant. 2005 Jun;19(3):346-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2005.00345.x.

Abstract

Mixed chimerism (MC) within CD4+ and CD8+ T cell days 7 and 10 after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) was compared with the occurrence of acute graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) in 34 patients after SCT. Acute GVHD was diagnosed in 22 patients within the first 3 months after SCT, 15 of these developed acute GVHD grades II-IV. The difference in the clearance rate of host T cell between the two days were compared. We found a significantly higher risk (p = 0.005) for developing acute GVHD grades II-IV in patients with complete donor CD4+ T-cell chimerism day 7 after SCT together with patients who increased 50% or more in donor CD4+ T cells between days 7 and 10 after SCT. Our data suggest that molecular monitoring of MC early after transplantation may be useful as a diagnostic tool in predicting the occurrence of moderate to severe acute GVHD after SCT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / physiology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chimerism*
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / genetics*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Transplantation, Homologous