Enrichment of effector memory T cells in the CD4 and CD8 T cell compartment during chronic graft versus host disease in children

Abstract

Background: During allogeneic Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), frequent pathological scenarios include graft versus host disease (GVHD) and viral infections. We hypothesized if exogenous stimulus as alloantigen and viral antigens might impact on central and effector memory T cells in pediatric recipients.

Patients and methods: Subjects included 21 pediatric recipients and 20 healthy children (control group). Peripheral blood samples of patients were collected along the first 712 days post-HSCT. T cell phenotyping of naïve, central, and effector memory T cells (TCMs and TEMs, respectively) was conducted using flow cytometry. Viral nucleic acids were detected using real-time PCR.

Results: T cell reconstitution was not reached after 1 year post-HSCT. Chronic GVHD was associated with increased numbers of naïve CD4 T cells (p < 0.05) as well as an increase in TEM and TCM cells of the CD4 (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.05, respectively) and CD8 T cell TEM (p < 0.0001). and TCM (p < 0.001) populations too. Moreover, BK and Epstein-Barr viruses were the main viral pathogens detected (<10⁴ copies), which were associated with a decrease in all T cell compartments.

Conclusion: During chronic GVHD, alloantigen persistence generates TEM cell enrichment among CD4 and CD8 T cells, and viral infections are associated with deficient recovery of T cells after HSCT.

Keywords: Allogeneic; Effector memory cells; GVHD; T cell reconstitution; Viral infections.