Salvage haploidentical transplantation for graft failure after first haploidentical allogeneic stem cell transplantation: an updated experience.

Graft failure is a fatal complication following allogeneic stem cell transplantation where a second transplantation is usually required for salvage. However, there are no recommended regimens for second transplantations for graft failure, especially in the haploidentical transplant setting. We recently reported encouraging outcomes using a novel method (haploidentical transplantation from a different donor after conditioning with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide). Herein, we report updated outcomes in 30 patients using this method. The median time of the second transplantation was 96.5 (33-215) days after the first transplantation. Except for one patient who died at +19d and before engraftment, neutrophil engraftments were achieved in all patients at 11 (8-24) days, while platelet engraftments were achieved in 22 (75.8%) patients at 17.5 (9-140) days. The 1-year OS and DFS were 60% and 53.3%, and CIR and TRM was 6.7% and 33.3%, respectively. Compared with the historical group, neutrophil engraftment (100% versus 58.5%, p < 0.001) and platelet engraftment (75.8% versus 32.3%, p < 0.001) were better in the novel regimen group, and OS was also improved (60.0% versus 26.4%, p = 0.011). In conclusion, salvage haploidentical transplantation from a different donor using the novel regimen represents a promising option to rescue patients with graft failure after the first haploidentical transplantation.

Genetic variation analysis of reemerging porcine epidemic diarrhea virus prevailing in central China from 2010 to 2011.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea has re-emerged with devastating impact in central China since October 2010. To investigate and analyze the reason of this outbreak, the M and ORF3 genes of 15 porcine epidemic diarrhea viruses (PEDV), which were collected from different areas of central China during October 2010 and December 2011, were amplified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, cloned, sequenced, and analyzed. Sequence analyses showed that the nucleotides and amino acids were changed at some sites in the M and ORF3 genes of the 15 PEDV strains compared with those genes of CV777 reference strain. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, PEDVs in central China and reference strains could be separated into three groups: G1, G2, and G3. The 15 PEDV strains belonged to G3 group and showed a close relationship with Korean strains (2007), Thai strains (2007-2008), and partial other Chinese strains (2010-2011), but differed genetically from European strains (Br1/87) and the vaccine strain (CV777 vs) being used in China. Furthermore, all 15 PEDV strains from central China and some other isolates in China from 2003 to 2007 (LJB-03, QH, and LZC) belonged to different group. Therefore, PEDV exhibits rapid variation and genetic evolution, and the currently prevailing PEDV strains in central China are a new genotype.

Cytokine profiling during conditioning in haploidentical stem cell transplantation and its prognostic impact on early transplant outcomes.

Cytokine storm development is a major cause of many transplant-related complications, especially during the conditioning regimen. This study aimed to characterize the cytokine profile and determine its prognostic impact during conditioning in patients undergoing subsequent haploidentical stem cell transplantation. A total of 43 patients were enrolled in this study. Sixteen cytokines associated with cytokine release syndrome (CRS) during anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) treatment were quantified in patients undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplantation. Thirty-six (83.7%) patients developed CRS during ATG treatment; most of those cases (33/36; 91.7%) were classified as grade 1 CRS, whereas only three (7.0%) developed grade 2 CRS. CRS was observed more frequently on the first (15/43; 34.9%) and second day (30/43; 69.8%) of ATG infusion. No factors were identified that could predict the development of CRS on the first day of ATG treatment. Five of the 16 cytokines (interleukins 6, 8, and 10 (IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT)) were significantly elevated during ATG treatment, although only the level of IL-6, IL-10, and PCT were associated with the severity of CRS. However, neither CRS nor the cytokine levels significantly impacted the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection or affected overall survival.

Avapritinib is effective for treatment of minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia with t (8;21) and kit mutation failing to immunotherapy after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

In patients with t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with recurrent measurable residual disease (MRD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), pre-emptive interferon-α therapy and donor lymphocyte infusion are noneffective in 30%-50% of patients. Avapritinib is a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting KIT mutations. We retrospectively report about 20 patients with t(8;21) AML and KIT mutations treated with avapritinib after allo-HSCT with MRD and most failing to respond to immunotherapy. Reduction of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 after 1 month of treatment was ≥1 log in 12 patients (60%), which became negative in 4 patients (20%). In 13 patients who received avapritinib for ≥3 months, the reduction was ≥1 log in all patients, which became negative in 7 patients (53.8%). The median follow-up time was 5.5 (2.0-10.0) months from avapritinib initiation to the last follow-up. Three patients underwent hematologic relapse and survived. Among all 20 patients, RUNX1-RUNX1T1 transcripts turned negative in 9 patients (45%). The efficacy did not differ significantly between D816 and non-D816 KIT mutation groups. The main adverse effect was hematological toxicity, which could generally be tolerated. In summary, avapritinib was effective for MRD treatment in patients with t(8;21) AML with KIT mutations failing to respond to immunotherapy after allo-HSCT.

Haploidentical- versus identical-sibling transplant for high-risk pediatric AML: A multi-center study.

BACKGROUND: Human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling donor (ISD)-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a potentially curative treatment for high-risk pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A haploidentical donor (HID) is readily available to almost all children. Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with HID-SCT had similar outcomes compared to ISD-SCT for pediatric and adult AML. However, the role of HID-SCT in high-risk pediatric AML is unclear. METHODS: To compare the overall survival of high-risk AML children who underwent either HID-SCT or ISD-SCT, we analyzed 179 cases of high-risk AML patients under 18 years of age treated with either ISD-SCT (n = 23) or HID-SCT (n = 156). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor plus anti-thymocyte globulin-based regimens were used for HID-SCT. We also analyzed the subgroup data of AML patients at first complete remission (CR1) before SCT with known cytogenetic risk. RESULTS: The numbers of adverse cytogenetic risk recipients were 8 (34.8%) and 13 (18.8%) in the ISD-SCT group and the HID-SCT group, and the number of patients with disease status beyond CR1 were 6 (26.1%) and 14 (20.3%) in the two groups. The cumulative rates of grades II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were 13.0% in the ISD-SCT group and 34.8% in the HID-SCT group (P = 0.062), with a three-year cumulative rates of chronic GVHD at 14.1% and 34.9%, respectively (P = 0.091). The relapse rate in the ISD-SCT group was significantly higher than that in the HID-SCT group (39.1% vs. 16.4%, P = 0.027); with non-relapse mortality at 0.0% and 10.6% (P = 0.113), respectively. The three-year overall survival rates were 73.0% for the ISD-SCT group and 74.6% for the HID-SCT group (P = 0.689). In subgroup analysis, the three-year relapse rate in the ISD-SCT group was higher than that in the HID-SCT group (50.0% vs. 9.2%, P = 0.001) and the three-year DFS in the ISD-SCT group (50.0%) was lower than that in the HID-SCT group (81.2%) (P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Unmanipulated HID-SCT achieved DFS and OS outcomes comparable to those of ISD-SCT for high-risk pediatric AML patients with potentially higher rate but manageable GVHD.

[Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus field strains in central China during 2010-2012 outbreaks].

Since late 2010, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been re-emerging in central China. To explore the possible reason of the PEDV outbreaks, twelve PEDV field strains were isolated from different swine breeding farms in central China during 2010-2012, and molecular diversity, phylogenetic relationships of these strains with other PEDV reference strains were investigated. Sequence analysis of S, M and ORE3 genes revealed that the central China PEDV isolates had several specific nucleotides and amino acids which were different from PEDV reference strains. In addition, the entire S genes of eleven central China PEDV isolates were found to be nine nucleotides longer in length than CV777 and large number of amino acid variations was accumulated in the N-terminal region of S gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the central China PEDV isolates had close relationship with Korea strains (2007-2009), Thailand strains (2007-2008), Vietnam strains (2009-2010), Japan strains (2010), and other prevailing strains from other parts of China (2010-2012). However, they differed genetically from European strains (CV777, Brl/87), China strains (2003-2007) and the vaccine strains (CV777) used in China. These results imply that a rapid variation and evolution of central China PEDV strains has occurred in recent years, and a more efficient vaccine strain should be selected to prevent and control outbreaks of PEDV in China.