Expression of CD27 on peripheral CD4+ T-lymphocytes correlates with the development of severe acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Int J Hematol. 2006 Nov;84(4):367-76. doi: 10.1532/IJH97.05159.

Abstract

Allogeneic immune responses during hematopoietic reconstitution play central roles in beneficial and adverse effects after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT). Appropriate regulation of the immune responses might improve the outcome of allo-BMT. However, a useful marker for monitoring allogeneic immune responses remains to be established. We enrolled 22 consecutive patients who underwent myeloablative allo-BMT between March 2002 and March 2006 and examined the relationship between CD27 expression on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes, a possible marker for naive/effector phenotypes, and clinical events, especially acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). In 8 patients with aGVHD of grades II to IV, the CD27+/CD27- ratios of CD4+ (but not CD8+) T-lymphocytes were significantly higher after allo-BMT, even at day 21, than the ratios in patients with aGVHD of grade 0 or I and remained high after day 21. In contrast, the ratios were low after day 21 following allo-BMT in 14 patients with aGVHD of grade 0 or I. Moreover, the clinical analysis suggested a relationship between the ratio and aGVHD grade. Thus, we showed that the CD27+/CD27- ratio in CD4+ T-lymphocytes may have value in predicting the development of severe aGVHD and may correlate with clinical symptoms of aGVHD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • Time Factors
  • Transplantation Immunology
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / analysis*

Substances

  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7