Recent advances in ocular graft-versus-host disease

Front Immunol. 2023 Jan 25:14:1092108. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1092108. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Ocular graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) remains a significant clinical complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Impaired visual function, pain, and other symptoms severely affect affected individuals' quality of life. However, the diagnosis of and therapy for ocular GVHD involve a multidisciplinary approach and remain challenging for both hematologists and ophthalmologists, as there are no unified international criteria. Through an exploration of the complex pathogenesis of ocular GVHD, this review comprehensively summarizes the pathogenic mechanism, related tear biomarkers, and clinical characteristics of this disease. Novel therapies based on the mechanisms are also discussed to provide insights into the ocular GVHD treatment.

Keywords: clinical characteristics; novel therapeutic targets; ocular graft-versus-host-disease; tear biomarkers; the pathogenic mechanism.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Graft vs Host Disease* / diagnosis
  • Graft vs Host Disease* / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease* / therapy
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Pain
  • Quality of Life
  • Tears

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Key R&D Program of China (No.2022YFA1103300, 2022YFA1103304), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82020108004,82100235), Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing Innovation Group Science Program (No. cstc2021jcyj-cxttX0001) and the Improvement of Scientific and Technological Innovation Youth Cultivation Special Project of Army Medical University (2021XQN16).