Engraftment of gene-modified umbilical cord blood cells in neonates with adenosine deaminase deficiency.

Haematopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood are an attractive target for gene therapy of inborn errors of metabolism. Three neonates with severe combined immunodeficiency were treated by retroviral-mediated transduction of the CD34+ cells from their umbilical cord blood with a normal human adenosine deaminase complementary DNA followed by autologous transplantation. The continued presence and expression of the introduced gene in leukocytes from bone marrow and peripheral blood for 18 months demonstrates that umbilical cord blood cells may be genetically modified with retroviral vectors and engrafted in neonates for gene therapy.

T lymphocytes with a normal ADA gene accumulate after transplantation of transduced autologous umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells in ADA-deficient SCID neonates.

Adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency was the first disease investigated for gene therapy because of a postulated production or survival advantage for gene-corrected T lymphocytes, which may overcome inefficient gene transfer. Four years after three newborns with this disease were given infusions of transduced autologous umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells, the frequency of gene-containing T lymphocytes has risen to 1-10%, whereas the frequencies of other hematopoietic and lymphoid cells containing the gene remain at 0.01-0.1%. Cessation of polyethylene glycol-conjugated adenosine deaminase enzyme replacement in one subject led to a decline in immune function, despite the persistence of gene-containing T lymphocytes. Thus, despite the long-term engraftment of transduced stem cells and selective accumulation of gene-containing T lymphocytes, improved gene transfer and expression will be needed to attain a therapeutic effect.

Altered O-glycan synthesis in lymphocytes from patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

The only molecular defect reported for the X-linked immunodeficiency Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is the abnormal electrophoretic behavior of the major T lymphocyte sialoglycoprotein CD43. Since the 70 to 80 O-linked carbohydrate chains of CD43 are known to influence markedly its electrophoretic mobility, we analyzed the structure and the biosynthesis of O-glycans of CD43 in lymphocytes from patients with WAS. Immunofluorescence analysis with the carbohydrate dependent anti-CD43 antibody T305 revealed that in 10 out of the 12 WAS patients tested increased numbers of T lymphocytes carry on CD43 an epitope which on normal lymphocytes is expressed only after activation. Other activation antigens were absent from WAS lymphocytes. Western blots of WAS cell lysates displayed a high molecular mass form of CD43 which reacted with the T305 antibody and which could be found on in vivo activated lymphocytes but was absent from normal unstimulated lymphocytes. To examine the O-glycan structures, carbohydrate labeled CD43 was immunoprecipitated and the released oligosaccharides identified. WAS lymphocyte CD43 was found to carry predominantly the branched structure NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3 (NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4G1cNAc beta 1----6) GalNAcOH whereas normal lymphocytes carry the structure NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3 (NeuNAc alpha 2----6) GalNAcOH. Only after activation NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3 (NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6) GalNAcOH becomes the principal oligosaccharide on CD43 from normal lymphocytes. Analyzing the six glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of these O-glycan structures it was found that in WAS lymphocytes high levels of beta 1----6 N-acetyl-glucosaminyl transferase are responsible for the expression of NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3 (NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6) GalNAcOH on CD43. The gene responsible for WAS has not yet been identified but the results presented in this study suggest that the primary defect in WAS may affect a gene which is involved in the regulation of O-glycosylation.

Absence of ZAP-70 prevents signaling through the antigen receptor on peripheral blood T cells but not on thymocytes.

Recently, a severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome with a deficiency of CD8+ peripheral T cells and a TCR signal transduction defect in peripheral CD4+ T cells was associated with mutations in ZAP-70. Since TCR signaling is required in developmental decisions resulting in mature CD4 (and CD8) T cells, the presence of peripheral CD4+ T cells expressing TCRs incapable of signaling in these patients is paradoxical. Here, we show that the TCRs on thymocytes, but not peripheral T cells, from a ZAP-70-deficient patient are capable of signaling. Moreover, the TCR on a thymocyte line derived from this patient can signal, and the homologous kinase Syk is present at high levels and is tyrosine phosphorylated after TCR stimulation. Thus, Syk may compensate for the loss of ZAP-70 and account for the thymic selection of at least a subset of T cells (CD4+) in ZAP-70-deficient patients.

Reconstitution of T cell receptor signaling in ZAP-70-deficient cells by retroviral transduction of the ZAP-70 gene.

A variant of severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID) with a selective inability to produce CD8 single positive T cells and a signal transduction defect in peripheral CD4+ cells has recently been shown to be the result of mutations in the ZAP-70 gene. T cell receptor (TCR) signaling requires the association of the ZAP-70 protein tyrosine kinase with the TCR complex. Human T cell leukemia virus type I-transformed CD4+ T cell lines were established from ZAP-70-deficient patients and normal controls. ZAP-70 was expressed and appropriately phosphorylated in normal T cell lines after TCR engagement, but was not detected in T cell lines from ZAP-70-deficient patients. To determine whether signaling could be reconstituted, wild-type ZAP-70 was introduced into deficient cells with a ZAP-70 retroviral vector. High titer producer clones expressing ZAP-70 were generated in the Gibbon ape leukemia virus packaging line PG13. After transduction, ZAP-70 was detected at levels equivalent to those observed in normal cells, and was appropriately phosphorylated on tyrosine after receptor engagement. The kinase activity of ZAP-70 in the reconstituted cells was also appropriately upregulated by receptor aggregation. Moreover, normal and transduced cells, but not ZAP-70-deficient cells, were able to mobilize calcium after receptor ligation, indicating that proximal TCR signaling was reconstituted. These results indicate that this form of SCID may be corrected by gene therapy.

Study of thymic size and function in children and adolescents with treatment refractory systemic sclerosis eligible for immunoablative therapy.

Following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), thymic reconstitution of peripheral T lymphocytes is essential to avoid a chronically immunodeficient state and disease recurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine if children and adolescents with treatment refractory SSc, awaiting HSCT, have sufficient thymic function to reconstitute T lymphocyte function after transplantation. Thirteen children with systemic scleroderma were enrolled and assessed by physical exam, chest MRI, measurement of autoantibodies, B and T cell immuno-phenotyping, and quantization of T cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (TREC) as a marker of thymopoiesis. MRI detected thymic tissue in 9/13 children. TREC levels were detectable in all but one child but were significantly reduced (p<0.001) when compared to a control population. SSc patients also had a reduced percentage of naïve (CD45RA+CD31+) CD4+ T lymphocytes, further indicating diminished thymopoiesis. Our data suggest that thymic function in children with SSc might be insufficient for an adequate immunoreconstitution following transplantation in some patients. A thorough evaluation of immune and thymic functions to identify those patients prior to HSCT is recommended.

Defining protective responses to pathogens: cytokine profiles in leprosy lesions.

The immunological mechanisms required to engender resistance have been defined in few infectious diseases of man, and the role of specific cytokines is unclear. Leprosy presents clinically as a spectrum in which resistance correlates with cell-mediated immunity to the pathogen. To assess in situ cytokine patterns, messenger RNA extracted from leprosy skin biopsy specimens was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction with 14 cytokine-specific primers. In lesions of the resistant form of the disease, messenger RNAs coding for interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma were most evident. In contrast, messenger RNAs for interleukin-4, interleukin-5, and interleukin-10 predominated in the multibacillary form. Thus, resistance and susceptibility were correlated with distinct patterns of cytokine production.

T lymphocyte ontogeny in adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immune deficiency after treatment with polyethylene glycol-modified adenosine deaminase.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency causes severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) by interfering with the metabolism of deoxyadenosine, which is toxic to T lymphocytes at all stages of differentiation. Enzyme replacement with polyethylene glycol-modified ADA (PEG-ADA) has been previously shown to correct deoxyadenosine metabolism and improve mitogen-induced T lymphocyte proliferation. We studied the biochemical and immunologic effects of PEG-ADA in two infants with ADA-deficient SCID. While in a catabolic state, higher doses of PEG-ADA than previously described were required to normalize deoxyadenosine metabolism. After biochemical improvement, the patients recovered immune function in a pattern similar to that observed in normal thymic ontogeny and in patients with immunological reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation. Immune reconstitution was marked by the sequential appearance in the peripheral blood of phenotypic T lymphocytes corresponding to successive stages of thymic differentiation. Functional reconstitution was marked by the successive appearance of mitogen responses dependent on exogenous in vitro IL-2, mitogen responses not requiring exogenous IL-2, antigen-specific responses dependent on exogenous IL-2, and finally, antigen-specific responses not requiring exogenous IL-2. Natural killer function was tested in one patient and normalized with PEG-ADA therapy. Optimal PEG-ADA therapy appears to normalize thymic differentiation in ADA-deficient SCID, resulting in normal antigen-specific immune function.

MAT1-modulated CAK activity regulates cell cycle G(1) exit.

The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-activating kinase (CAK) is involved in cell cycle control, transcription, and DNA repair (E. A. Nigg, Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 8:312-317, 1996). However, the mechanisms of how CAK is integrated into these signaling pathways remain unknown. We previously demonstrated that abrogation of MAT1 (ménage à trois 1), an assembly factor and targeting subunit of CAK, induces G(1) arrest (L. Wu, P. Chen, J. J. Hwang, L. W. Barsky, K. I. Weinberg, A. Jong, and V. A. Starnes, J. Biol. Chem. 274:5564-5572, 1999). This result led us to investigate how deregulation of CAK by MAT1 abrogation affects the cell cycle G(1) exit, a process that is regulated most closely by phosphorylation of retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRb). Using mammalian cellular models that undergo G(1) arrest evoked by antisense MAT1 abrogation, we found that deregulation of CAK inhibits pRb phosphorylation and cyclin E expression, CAK phosphorylation of pRb is MAT1 dose dependent but cyclin D1/CDK4 independent, and MAT1 interacts with pRb. These results suggest that CAK is involved in the regulation of cell cycle G(1) exit while MAT1-modulated CAK formation and CAK phosphorylation of pRb may determine the cell cycle specificity of CAK in G(1) progression.

Reduction to homozygosity and gene amplification in central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumors of childhood.

The loss of genetic material from specific chromosomal locations has been identified for a number of pediatric tumors. This loss has been taken as evidence for the importance of tumor suppressor genes at these loci in the genesis of these tumors. One of these pediatric tumors, the primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the central nervous system, has not been well studied. In this report, an analysis of primitive neuroectodermal tumors for allelic deletions on chromosomes 1p, 7q, 10, 11p, 13q, and 17p has been performed. One of ten tumors was found to have increased copies of c-myc. Three different patients were found to reduce to homozygosity at one of three different locations. Significantly, however, three of nine informative patients showed a reduction to homozygosity on chromosome 17p. Thus, primitive neuroectodermal tumor is one of a growing number of tumor types in which deletions in the short arm of chromosome 17 might be important in oncogenesis.

Pharmacology studies of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine in pediatric patients with leukemia and lymphoma after a biochemically optimal regimen of loading bolus plus continuous infusion of the drug.

In an attempt to maximize the therapeutic index and to overcome the large variations in 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) plasma levels and host toxicities that have been documented with standard HDara-C regimens (3 g/m2 over 3 h every 12 h x 8 or x12 doses), pediatric patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma in relapse were treated with a regimen of loading bolus followed immediately by continuous infusion of ara-C. In addition, patients received a single dose of etoposide (VP-16, 1 g/m2) prior to the ara-C administration. In four patients, total body irradiation was administered as part of a bone marrow transplantation preparative regimen after the ara-C administration. The regimen was designed to attain and maintain plasma steady-state concentrations (Css) of ara-C three to four times the Km2 value of ara-C, which was determined with purified deoxycytidine kinase from the patients' tumor cells prior to treatment. Eight patients age 0.75 to 16 years with relapsed acute lymphocytic leukemia (three patients) or lymphoma (five patients, one with bone marrow involvement), received a test dose of 3 g/m2 ara-C injected over 1 h, and the plasma kinetics were determined. The peak plasma ara-C concentration of ara-C ranged from 57 to 199 microM with an average concentration of 103 +/- 49 microM; the half-lives of distribution (t1/2, alpha) and elimination (t1/2, beta) averaged 17 +/- 7 min and 4.04 +/- 3.1 h, respectively. The mean area under the plasma concentration time curve from 0 to 12 h (AUC0----12 h) of ara-C averaged 386.8 +/- 328.0 microMh (mean, +/- SD, n = 8). The peak concentration of uracil arabinoside averaged 501 +/- 123 microM, and it was eliminated with a t1/2, el of 2.3 +/- 0.6 h. The patients then received an individualized loading bolus (mean = 0.5 g/m2) followed by a continuous infusion regimen of ara-C (mean = 130 mg/m2/h), to achieve a Css in the range of 20 to 35 microM. The obtained plasma Css were similar to the desired ones, averaging in variation 10.7% +/- 8.2%. The percentage of variation of correlation of the AUC following the loading bolus plus the continuous infusion from 12 to 72 h was only 12.4% (mean = 2158 microMh, n = 8), whereas the percentage of variation of correlation of the AUC after the test dose of ara-C in the same patients was 84.8%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1) expression in all differentiation stages of B-lineage precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1), which is required for immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangement, is expressed in murine B-lymphoid precursors but not in mature B lymphocytes. In order to characterize the temporal relationship of RAG-1 expression to other markers of human B-lymphoid differentiation [cell surface antigens, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), Ig gene rearrangements], RAG-1 expression was studied in a group of B lineage childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ALL cells from 21 patients were grouped into three developmentally related phenotypes based on the expression of the differentiation antigens CD19, CD10, and CD20. All 21 leukemias were surface Ig (slg) negative. There were leukemias representing each developmental stage of Ig gene rearrangement. RAG-1 was expressed in 20 of 21 B-lineage ALL, including leukemic cells from each stage of differentiation, as defined by immunophenotype and IgH and IgL gene rearrangement status. RAG-1 was expressed in slg- ALL, regardless of the Ig heavy chain (IgH) or Ig light chain (IgL) gene configuration. RAG-1 was not expressed in two Burkitt lymphomas and Burkitt lymphoma cell lines with slg+ mature B-lymphocyte phenotype. In two cases, RAG-1 was expressed in TdT-negative ALL; conversely TdT was expressed in the one RAG-1 negative ALL. These results suggest that RAG-1 in B-lineage ALL is expressed at all phenotypic and genotypic developmental stages preceding surface immunoglobulin expression, and that TdT and RAG-1 may be regulated by different mechanisms.

Immunophenotypic differences between putative hematopoietic stem cells and childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.

Acute leukemia cells express myeloid, B-lymphoid and T-lymphoid lineage specific antigens. Many acute leukemias express the hematopoietic progenitor cell antigen CD34. Three proposed models of the normal human hematopoietic stem cell include CD34+ Thy-1low Lin-, CD34+ CD38-, and CD34+ HLA-DR-. The patterns of expression of CD34, Thy-1, CD38, HLA-DR, and multiple lineage-specific antigens on 49 consecutive pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases submitted for immunophenotyping (36 at first diagnosis, 13 at relapse) were analyzed. CD34+ expression was observed in 67% of the cases. CD34+ expression correlated with Thy-1low expression and expression of myeloid antigens (p < 0.001 and < 0.025, respectively). The CD34+ Thy-1low phenotype was observed in 65% of the cases; the CD34+ CD38- or CD34+ HLA-DR- phenotypes were observed in only three cases. Examples of heterogeneous expression of CD34 and Thy-1 were found in six cases, but CD38 expression was always bright and homogeneous in all positive cases. The data from this analysis indicates that the CD34+ CD38- or CD34+ HLA-DR- phenotypes would be more useful than the CD34+ Thy-1low phenotype for distinguishing normal hematopoietic stem cells from leukemic cells in childhood B-cell precursor ALL.

Expression of CD1d by myelomonocytic leukemias provides a target for cytotoxic NKT cells.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells with an invariant T-cell receptor for alpha-galactosylceramide (alphaGalCer) that is presented by CD1d have been reported to be cytotoxic for myelomonocytic leukemia cells. However, the necessity for leukemia cell CD1d expression, the role of alphaGalCer, and the cytotoxic mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We evaluated these issues with myeloid leukemia cells from 14 patients and purified NKT cells that were alphaGalCer/CD1d reactive. CD1d was expressed by 80-100% of cells in three of seven acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) and by 28-77% of cells in five of six juvenile myelomonocytic leukemias (JMML). CD1d+ AML cells were myelomonocytic or monoblastic types, and CD1d+ JMML cells were differentiated and CD34-. Cytotoxicity required leukemia cell CD1d expression and was increased by alphaGalCer (P<0.0001) and inhibited by anti-CD1d mAb (P<0.001). The perforin/granzyme-B pathway of NKT cells caused up to 85% of cytotoxicity, and TNF-alpha, FASL, and TRAIL mediated additional killing. CD56+ NKT cells expressed greater perforin and were more cytotoxic than CD56 NKT cells without alphaGalCer (P<0.0001), but both subpopulations were highly and equally cytotoxic in the presence of alphaGalCer. We conclude that CD1d expression is stage-specific for myelomonocytic leukemias and could provide a target for NKT-cell-mediated immunotherapy.

Ineffective erythropoiesis in beta-thalassemia major is due to apoptosis at the polychromatophilic normoblast stage.

Beta-thalassemia major is characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, although it is difficult to define the dynamics of this process from the static information revealed by analysis of bone marrow (BM) aspirates. We aimed to study the kinetics of sequential erythroid differentiation in beta-thalassemia major. We isolated the progenitor cells (CD34(+) and CD34(+)CD38(-) cells) from BM of thalassemia major patients and studied in vitro erythropoiesis. This is the first report of an in vitro study in human beta-thalassemia major from purified BM CD34(+) progenitor cells, using erythroid culture conditions, which allow unilineage differentiation to mature enucleated red blood cells. In contrast to normal donors, a high proportion of BM CD34(+) and CD34(+)CD38(-) progenitors from beta-thalassemia major coexpressed the late erythroid lineage-specific protein glycophorin A and generated a higher proportion of erythroid colonies. However, despite the marked increase in erythroid clonogenicity of the progenitor population, erythroid cultures initiated from beta-thalassemia major BM CD34(+) cells expanded 10- to 20-fold less than from normal BM. There were less viable cells during differentiation, specifically after the polychromatophilic normoblast stage. There was a progressive increase in the apoptotic erythroid progeny with differentiation, and apoptosis occurred predominantly at the polychromatophilic normoblast stage. In thalassemia major, BM progenitor cells show increased erythroid clonogenicity, increased expression of late erythroid lineage-specific proteins, and accelerated erythroid differentiation. However, despite the apparent increased erythroid commitment, ineffective erythropoiesis occurs due to apoptosis at the polychromatophil stage. Identification of the differentiation stage at which apoptosis occurs will permit further studies of the underlying mechanisms and target therapeutic strategies to improve red cell production.

X-linked SCID and other defects of cytokine pathways.

Cytokine pathways are essential for the differentiation and function of lymphoid cells. The major T-cell growth factor is IL-2, which is produced by subsets of T lymphocytes in response to antigenic stimulation. The IL-2 receptor is expressed by T cells after antigenic stimulation, and when engaged by IL-2 induces proliferation, differentiation, and protection from apoptosis. Rare patients with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) have been found to have mature T lymphocytes that do not produce IL-2, although no genetic abnormality has yet been defined for these patients. The fact that these patients and IL-2 knockout mice have the ability to generate mature T lymphocytes indicates that IL-2 is the major growth factor for mature T lymphocytes but not for immature thymocytes. X-linked SCID, the most common form of SCID, has a phenotype of thymic hypoplasia, peripheral T lymphopenia, the presence of B lymphocytes that do not undergo normal class switching, and usually the absence of natural killer (NK) cells. X-SCID is caused by mutations of a receptor subunit, which was originally described as the IL-2Rgamma. The phenotypic differences between X-SCID and IL-2-deficient SCID suggests that the IL-2Rgamma chain might be a component of other receptors needed for thymic development, B cell class-switching, and NK development. The IL-2Rgamma is now known to be a shared subunit between the IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15 receptors, which explains the complex X-SCID phenotype. Because of this shared usage, the IL-2Rgamma is known as the common gamma chain (gamma c). Each ligand induces dimerization of gamma c with the ligand-specific receptor subunit, eg, the IL-2Rbeta, resulting in signal transduction through the JAK-STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) pathway. The JAK3 tyrosine kinase is constitutively associated with the gamma c and is necessary for signaling through the gamma c-containing receptors. Deficiency of JAK3 gives rise to a SCID phenotype that closely resembles that of X-SCID, but is autosomally recessive in inheritance. It is likely that other specific immune deficiencies of the cytokine pathways exist, eg, IL-7Ralpha-deficient SCID. T cells with wild-type gamma c and JAK3 proteins have a profound selective advantage over cells that contain mutant proteins. The selective advantage allows these patients to be treated by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) without ablative chemotherapy, and is the reason that these forms of SCID are potential targets for early gene therapy efforts.

Gene therapy for congenital lymphoid immunodeficiency diseases.

The primary immunodeficiencies are a group of rare genetic diseases in which mutations of genes necessary for host defense result in increased susceptibility to infection. In the past 10 years, the genes responsible for most forms of human immunodeficiency have been identified, cloned, and their function and expression have been characterized. The identification of the genes for human immunodeficiencies has generally been the result of cloning efforts directed at specific diseases, rather than the human genome project. During this same period, technology for the delivery of genes to target cells for disease treatment (gene therapy) has also been developed. Because of certain biological features of human immunodeficiency diseases, each is a particularly attractive subject of early clinical trials of gene therapy. The convergence of the advances in gene cloning and gene transfer has led to great interest in the gene therapy of immunodeficiency diseases. This report will review particular aspects of lymphoid immunodeficiency disease as they relate to gene therapy, the preclinical evaluation of gene therapy for these diseases, and the clinical gene therapy trials for adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency, the first immunodeficiency to be treated by gene therapy.

Serum levels of IL-7 in bone marrow transplant recipients: relationship to clinical characteristics and lymphocyte count.

IL-7 is produced by stromal cells and is the major lympho- and thymopoietic cytokine. IL-7 induces proliferation and differentiation of immature thymocytes, and protects thymocytes from apoptosis by induction of bcl-2 expression. The regulation of IL-7 production is poorly characterized, although down-regulation by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has been described. We measured the serum levels of IL-7 before and after bone marrow transplant (BMT) in 32 children undergoing BMT for genetic diseases (severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) and thalassemia), aplastic anemia, and acute lymphoblastic and non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL and ANLL). Prior to BMT, the highest IL-7 levels were observed in patients with SCID and ALL, i.e. those patients with genetic or acquired lymphopenia. Patients with thalassemia and ANLL had normal levels of IL-7. Over the 8 weeks following BMT, the IL-7 levels of patients with SCID and ALL fell as the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) increased. No detectable change in IL-7 levels was observed in the patients with thalassemia and ANLL. Levels of IL-7 were highest in the young infants with SCID compared to the age-matched controls. Together, the data demonstrate that serum levels of IL-7 in lymphopenic patients are inversely related to patient age and the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC). The inverse relationship to ALC suggests that there is either direct regulation of stromal production or more likely, binding of secreted IL-7 to lymphocytes expressing IL-7 receptors.

Unrelated donor BMT for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

The role of allogeneic sibling BMT for children with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is established. Mismatched T cell-depleted BMT has been successful, although significant problems with graft rejection, GVHD, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders have been reported. We have performed four BMTs for children with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome utilizing phenotypically HLA-identical unrelated donors. A non-TBI (total body irradiation) conditioning regimen was utilized, and BM was not T cell-depleted. All patients engrafted and developed significant, although manageable, GVHD. All patients are alive 3+ to 17+ months post-transplant. These results suggest that matched unrelated donor BMT has a definite role in the treatment of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease post-bone marrow transplantation in children conditioned with busulfan and cyclophosphamide: incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcome.

We performed a retrospective analysis of the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcome of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in 50 children prepared for bone marrow transplantation with busulfan (16 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg). The overall incidence of VOD was 28% (14/50). The incidence of VOD among patients transplanted for leukemia was 36% (14/39). In contrast, no patient transplanted for a genetic disease developed VOD. Neither patient age, sex, remission status, type of graft (i.e. allogeneic or autologous), past history of liver disease nor pretransplant liver function tests were associated with an increased risk of VOD. In addition, 23 of 50 patients had pretransplant samples available for antihepatitis C virus (HCV) testing; 3/23 were reactive (two of nine patients with VOD and one of 14 patients without VOD were positive for anti-HCV). We found a high incidence of pleural effusion in patients with VOD (7/14), an association that has previously not been described. VOD was manageable and resolved in all patients.