Graft Versus Host Disease with Mixed Chimerism

We report a patient with graft versus host disease (GVHD) with mixed chimerism (MC). The patient had chronic myelogenous leukemia and received bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from his elder sister. Eighty days after BMT, erythematous lesions appeared on his chest. Histological examination from the skin lesion revealed lymphocytic infiltration into the upper dermis. Eosinophilic necrotic keratinocytes were scattered through the epidermis. Liquefaction degeneration was also recognized. Sicca syndrome appeared from 110 days after BMT. Detection of host origin Y-chromosome-specific DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in bone marrow and peripheral blood showed that all bone marrow samples obtained 6 months from BMT were positive for Y-specific DNA, while peripheral blood became positive in the 60th month after BMT. The host origin normal karyotype (46,XY) in the bone marrow samples was identified for the first time in the 60th month after BMT. These results indicate that host-origin hematopoietic cells survived after BMT.     

红细胞悬液中白细胞凋亡的研究

目的:研究低温和辐射对红细胞中残余自细胞凋亡及某些细胞因子水平的影响。方法：来自6名无偿献血者200ml全血分离制备悬浮红细胞，等份分装为10袋。除自身对照外均25Geyγ射线照射，然后置血库冰箱2℃-8℃保存。保存后3小时、2天、7天、14天和35天分别取样用化学法检测凋亡。保存期内第1、3、5周分别取样测定IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8和TNF-α含量。保存期末所有样品均进行血培养。结果：红细胞保存后第2天白细胞开始出现凋亡梯状条带，随时间延长而明显；对照组和照射组该持征条带差异不大，而两组的细胞因子含量都逐渐升高，且照射组升高幅度显著低于对照组；血培养呈阴性。结论：红细胞成分中的残余白细胞在体外低温环境下可发生凋亡。辐射可抑制体外成分血细胞因子增加，但辐射如何影响血液细胞的凋亡还有待进一步研究。     

Scaling Lichenoid Eruptions and Sjögren-like Syndrome: Manifestations of Nonfatal Postoperative Transfusion-Associated Graft-versus-Host Disease?

We report a case of an 81-year-old woman in whom lichenoid eruptions and Sjögren-like sicca syndrome developed 45 days after cholecystectomy. During surgery, one unit (130 ml) of unirradiated packed red blood cells from a male donor was transfused. The lichenoid eruptions cleared up with exfoliation; however, sicca symptoms remained during the follow-up period of four years. Histological examinations of both skin and lip biopsy specimens were in agreement with those of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). A Y-chromosomal body was identified in the lymphocytes in the skin lesion by staining with quinacrine dihydrochloride and in the lip lesion by a method with in situ hybridization. The findings suggest that this case demonstrated the manifestations of non-fatal transfusion-associated GVHD.     

Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Vorinostat-Treated Patients after Matched Unrelated Donor Myeloablative Conditioning Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Myeloablative conditioning allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) puts patients at greater risk for significant cognitive and quality of life decline compared with recipients of reduced-intensity conditioning or autologous HCT. Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been shown to have neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects in preclinical models of neurologic diseases. Thus, within the context of a myeloablative conditioning phase II clinical trial of vorinostat combined with tacrolimus and methotrexate for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, we conducted an ancillary study to evaluate feasibility of assessing associations between vorinostat and neurocognitive function and quality of life (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02409134). Nine patients (mean age, 53 years; range, 36 to 66) underwent computerized neuropsychological testing (Cogstate) and completed surveys of mood (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General). Control cohorts from a separate concurrent longitudinal study (19 autologous and 18 allogeneic HCT patients, who matched the vorinostat patients on relevant medical and demographic variables) completed the same test battery. All allogeneic patients received busulfan-based myeloablative conditioning and were transplanted with HLA-matched unrelated donors. The total neurocognitive performance score of vorinostat patients did not change significantly across the study duration (ie, baseline, day 30, day 100, and day 160). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life also did not differ significantly across time. In univariate analyses (analysis of variance), vorinostat-treated patients showed no difference in neurocognitive function or quality of life compared with autologous and allogeneic control subjects. However, when medical variables were accounted for in a linear mixed effects regression model, the total neurocognitive performance of vorinostat-treated patients was comparable with autologous control subjects. Notably, autologous control subjects performed significantly better than allogeneic control subjects (estimate, .64; standard error, .23; P ≤ .01). Moreover, a smaller percentage of vorinostat-treated patients were classified as mildly, moderately, or severely impaired across neurocognitive domains as well as time points compared with both control cohorts. Thus, vorinostat may have neurorestorative or neuroprotective effects in the HCT setting. Accordingly, we recognize the need for a future, full-scale randomized controlled trial to further examine this hypothesis.     

Tju103和CTLA4-Ig诱导MHC半相合小鼠骨髓移植耐受比较

目的：观察Tju103和CTLA4—Ig各自对MHC半相合小鼠骨髓移植免疫耐受的诱导。方法：半相合供鼠T细胞与受鼠抗原、Tju103(或CTLA4—Ig)共育后与骨髓细胞混合移植，观测移植后受情况。结果：A．单纯照射组：全部小鼠于照射后11d内死于造血衰竭；B．白血病CTX治疗组：全部小鼠于接种白血病细胞后16—23d死于白血病；C．单纯移植组：全部小鼠于移植后21d内死于移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)；D．CsA预防组：5只小鼠于移植后8—22d死亡，1只死于白血病，各有2只死于GVHD和感染，5只活过30d；E．Tju103处理组：4只小鼠于移植后9～26d死亡，2只死于GVHD，各有1只死于白血病和感染，6只活过30d；F．CTLA4—Ig处理组：2只小鼠于移植后17—26d死亡GVHD，8只活过30d。结论：Tju103和CTLA4—Ig均明显延长生存期，降低GVHD发生和严重程度，CTLA4—Ig保留有抗感染和移植抗白血病(GVL)作用，而Tju103没有。     

Graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation is associated with bone marrow failure,hemophagocytosis, and DNMT3A mutations

Graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation (LT-GVHD) is rare, frequently fatal, and associated with bone marrow failure (BMF), cytopenias, and hyperferritinemia. Given hyperferritinemia and cytopenias are present in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and somatic mutations in hematopoietic cells are associated with hyperinflammatory responses (clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential, CHIP), we identified the frequency of hemophagocytosis and CHIP mutations in LT-GVHD. We reviewed bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, quantified blood/marrow chimerism, and performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a targeted panel of genes relevant to myeloid malignancies, CHIP, and BMF. In all, 12 marrows were reviewed from 9 LT-GVHD patients. In all, 10 aspirates were evaluable for hemophagocytosis; 7 had adequate DNA for NGS. NGS was also performed on marrow from an LT cohort (n = 6) without GVHD. Nine of 10 aspirates in LT-GVHD patients showed increased hemophagocytosis. Five (71%) of 7 with LT-GVHD had DNMT3A mutations; only 1 of 6 in the non-GVHD LT cohort demonstrated DNMT3A mutation (p = .04). Only 1 LT-GVHD patient survived. BMF with HLH features was associated with poor hematopoietic recovery, and DNMT3A mutations were over-represented, in LT-GVHD patients. Identification of HLH features may guide prognosis and therapeutics. Further studies are needed to clarify the origin and impact of CHIP mutations on the hyperinflammatory state.

     

Implications of Resident Memory T Cells for Transplantation

Recent studies have established resident memory T cells (T_RM) as the dominant memory lymphocyte population surveying most nonlymphoid tissues. Unlike other memory T cell lineages, T_RM do not recirculate through blood and are permanently confined to their tissue of residence. T_RM orchestrate local immune responses and have been shown to accelerate local pathogen control in many experimental infection models. Here we briefly summarize recent advances in T_RM differentiation, maintenance, and their protective function. While little is known, we have speculated on the potential implications of T_RM for transplantation biology. Areas of emphasis include the role of passenger T_RM in controlling latent viral recrudescence in donor organs, donor T_RM as a source of graft‐versus‐host disease, the ability of T_RM to potently induce inflammation through sensing and alarm functions, and differentiation of host T cells into T_RM in response to local cues inside the allograft. Further investigation of T_RM in the context of transplantation might identify therapeutic targets to prolong graft survival.     

TTC7A mutation must be considered in patients with repeated intestinal atresia associated with early inflammatory bowel disease: Two new case reports and a literature review

TTC7A mutations cause multiple neonatal intestinal atresias with early inflammatory bowel disease and severe combined immunodeficiency. There are no treatment protocols for this rare disease. Two new cases are described for which radical early treatment measures – total enterectomy, home parenteral nutrition, immunoglobulin therapy and intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis – have allowed both patients to develop optimally.     

How does transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease compare to hematopoietic cell transplantation-associated graft-versus-host disease?

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) is a rare life-threatening complication of blood transfusion caused by donor T cells that escape rejection by the recipient immune system. These donor T cells drive recipient tissue damage in response to host antigens. On the other hand, GVHD occurring after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT-GVHD) is also caused by donor T cells, but its pathophysiology is more complex and differs due to the effects of tissue damage caused by pre?HCT conditioning and profound immunosuppression. Both TA-GVHD and HCT-GVHD can be fatal; however, mortality is higher with TA-GVHD due to the paucity of treatment options. Here, we compare and summarize the presentation, diagnosis, pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of TA-GVHD and HCT-GVHD.