OBJECTIVE: Chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) has certain similarities with autoimmune diseases and is associated with the development of various autoantibodies in some patients. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence of autoantibodies in 63 patients surviving longer than 3 months after an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), with the aim of detecting a possible association between occurrence of autoantibodies and development of chronic GVHD and immune recovery after HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were screened every 3 months for the occurrence of the following autoantibodies: anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-mitochondrial (AMA), anti-smooth muscle (ASMA), anti-cardiolipin (ACLA), anti-liver-kidney microsomal (LKM), anti-DNA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic (ANCA), and anti-thyroid antibodies. Peripheral blood immunophenotyping with anti-CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD20, CD16, and CD56 antibodies was evaluated at the same intervals. RESULTS: Autoantibodies were not found in 18 patients (29%), at least in one screening in 29 patients (46%), and in all screenings in 16 patients (25%). ANA were found in 41 patients (65%), AMA in 4 (6%), ASMA in 4 (6%), ANCA in 7 (11%), ACLA in 1 (2%), anti-thyroid antibodies in 3 (5%), and anti-DNA in 2 (3%). More than one antibody occurred in 16/63 (25%) positive patients. ANA was significantly more frequent in patients with chronic GVHD and, among these, in those with the extensive form. The nucleolar pattern of immunofluorescence of ANA but not its titer was correlated with the extension of chronic GVHD. Patients who developed autoantibodies had higher CD20(+) cell blood counts than negative patients in the third month (p=0.006), ninth month (p=0.061), and twelfth month (p=0.043). CONCLUSION: We conclude that patients with chronic GVHD, particularly those with an extensive involvement, were likely to develop autoantibodies and have a faster B-cell recovery, suggesting a role of B cells in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD.

The development of autoantibodies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation is related with chronic graft-vs-host disease and immune recovery

PATRIARCA, Francesca;ZAJA, Francesco;FANIN, Renato
2006-01-01

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) has certain similarities with autoimmune diseases and is associated with the development of various autoantibodies in some patients. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence of autoantibodies in 63 patients surviving longer than 3 months after an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), with the aim of detecting a possible association between occurrence of autoantibodies and development of chronic GVHD and immune recovery after HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were screened every 3 months for the occurrence of the following autoantibodies: anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-mitochondrial (AMA), anti-smooth muscle (ASMA), anti-cardiolipin (ACLA), anti-liver-kidney microsomal (LKM), anti-DNA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmatic (ANCA), and anti-thyroid antibodies. Peripheral blood immunophenotyping with anti-CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD20, CD16, and CD56 antibodies was evaluated at the same intervals. RESULTS: Autoantibodies were not found in 18 patients (29%), at least in one screening in 29 patients (46%), and in all screenings in 16 patients (25%). ANA were found in 41 patients (65%), AMA in 4 (6%), ASMA in 4 (6%), ANCA in 7 (11%), ACLA in 1 (2%), anti-thyroid antibodies in 3 (5%), and anti-DNA in 2 (3%). More than one antibody occurred in 16/63 (25%) positive patients. ANA was significantly more frequent in patients with chronic GVHD and, among these, in those with the extensive form. The nucleolar pattern of immunofluorescence of ANA but not its titer was correlated with the extension of chronic GVHD. Patients who developed autoantibodies had higher CD20(+) cell blood counts than negative patients in the third month (p=0.006), ninth month (p=0.061), and twelfth month (p=0.043). CONCLUSION: We conclude that patients with chronic GVHD, particularly those with an extensive involvement, were likely to develop autoantibodies and have a faster B-cell recovery, suggesting a role of B cells in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Patriarca_Exp_Hematol_2006.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Altro materiale allegato
Licenza: Non pubblico
Dimensione 166.73 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
166.73 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11390/880508
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 136
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 113
social impact