Early immune reconstitution as predictor for outcomes after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant; a tri-institutional analysis.

BACKGROUND AIMS: CD4 immune reconstitution (IR) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) correlates with lower non-relapse mortality (NRM), but its impact on leukemia relapse remains less clear, especially in children. We studied the correlation between IR of lymphocyte subsets and HCT outcomes in a large cohort of children/young adults with hematological malignancies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed CD4, CD8, B-cell and natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution in patients after first allo-HCT for a hematological malignancy at three large academic institutions (n = 503; period 2008-2019). We used Cox proportional hazard and Fine-Gray competing risk models, martingale residual plots and maximally selected log-rank statistics to assess the impact of IR on outcomes. RESULTS: Achieving CD4 >50 and/or B cells >25 cells/µL before day 100 after allo-HCT was a predictor of lower NRM (CD4 IR: hazard ratio [HR] 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11-0.62, P = 0.002; CD4 and B cell IR: HR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.16, P < 0.001), acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (CD4 and B cell IR: HR 0.02, 95% CI 0.01-0.04, P < 0.001) and chronic GVHD (CD4 and B cell IR: HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.05-0.49, P = 0.001) in the full cohort, and of lower risk of relapse (CD4 and B cell IR: HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-0.92, P = 0.038) in the acute myeloid leukemia subgroup. No correlation between CD8 and NK-cell IR and relapse or NRM was found. CONCLUSIONS: CD4 and B-cell IR was associated with clinically significant lower NRM, GVHD and, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, disease relapse. CD8 and NK-cell IR was neither associated with relapse nor NRM. If confirmed in other cohorts, these results can be easily implemented for risk stratification and clinical decision making.

Chemotherapy-induced intestinal injury promotes Galectin-9-driven modulation of T cell function.

The intestine is vulnerable to chemotherapy-induced toxicity due to its high epithelial proliferative rate, making gut toxicity an off-target effect in several cancer treatments, including conditioning regimens for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). In allo-HCT, intestinal damage is an important factor in the development of Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD), an immune complication in which donor immune cells attack the recipient's tissues. Here, we developed a novel human intestinal organoid-based 3D model system to study the direct effect of chemotherapy-induced intestinal epithelial damage on T cell behavior. Chemotherapy treatment using busulfan, fludarabine, and clofarabine led to damage responses in organoids resulting in increased T cell migration, activation, and proliferation in ex- vivo co-culture assays. We identified galectin-9 (Gal-9), a beta-galactoside-binding lectin released by damaged organoids, as a key molecule mediating T cell responses to damage. Increased levels of Gal-9 were also found in the plasma of allo-HCT patients who later developed acute GVHD, supporting the predictive value of the model system in the clinical setting. This study highlights the potential contribution of chemotherapy-induced epithelial damage to the pathogenesis of intestinal GVHD through direct effects on T cell activation and trafficking promoted by galectin-9.

Naive T Cells in Graft Versus Host Disease and Graft Versus Leukemia: Innocent or Guilty?

The outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) largely depends on the development and management of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), infections, and the occurrence of relapse of malignancies. Recent studies showed a lower incidence of chronic GvHD and severe acute GvHD in patients receiving naive T cell depleted grafts compared to patients receiving complete T cell depleted grafts. On the other hand, the incidence of acute GvHD in patients receiving cord blood grafts containing only naive T cells is rather low, while potent graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) responses have been observed. These data suggest the significance of naive T cells as both drivers and regulators of allogeneic reactions. The naive T cell pool was previously thought to be a quiescent, homogenous pool of antigen-inexperienced cells. However, recent studies showed important differences in phenotype, differentiation status, location, and function within the naive T cell population. Therefore, the adequate recovery of these seemingly innocent T cells might be relevant in the imminent allogeneic reactions after allo-HCT. Here, an extensive review on naive T cells and their contribution to the development of GvHD and GvL responses after allo-HCT is provided. In addition, strategies specifically directed to stimulate adequate reconstitution of naive T cells while reducing the risk of GvHD are discussed. A better understanding of the relation between naive T cells and alloreactivity after allo-HCT could provide opportunities to improve GvHD prevention, while maintaining GvL effects to lower relapse risk.

Fludarabine exposure predicts outcome after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in children and young adults with acute leukemia.

The addition of fludarabine to cyclophosphamide as a lymphodepleting regimen prior to CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy significantly improved outcomes in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Fludarabine exposure, previously shown to be highly variable when dosing is based on body surface area (BSA), is a predictor for survival in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Hence, we hypothesized that an optimal exposure of fludarabine might be of clinical importance in CD19 CAR T-cell treatment. We examined the effect of cumulative fludarabine exposure during lymphodepletion, defined as concentration-time curve (AUC), on clinical outcome and lymphocyte kinetics. A retrospective analysis was conducted with data from 26 patients receiving tisagenlecleucel for r/r B-ALL. Exposure of fludarabine was shown to be a predictor for leukemia-free survival (LFS), B-cell aplasia, and CD19-positive relapse following CAR T-cell infusion. Minimal event probability was observed at a cumulative fludarabine AUCT0-∞ ≥14 mg*h/L, and underexposure was defined as an AUCT0-∞ <14 mg*h/L. In the underexposed group, the median LFS was 1.8 months, and the occurrence of CD19-positive relapse within 1 year was 100%, which was higher compared with the group with an AUCT0-∞ ≥14 mg*h/L (12.9 months; P < .001; and 27.4%; P = .0001, respectively). Furthermore, the duration of B-cell aplasia within 6 months was shorter in the underexposed group (77.3% vs 37.3%; P = .009). These results suggest that optimizing fludarabine exposure may have a relevant impact on LFS following CAR T-cell therapy, which needs to be validated in a prospective clinical trial.

Clofarabine-fludarabine-busulfan in HCT for pediatric leukemia: an effective, low toxicity, TBI-free conditioning regimen.

We prospectively studied clofarabine-fludarabine-busulfan (CloFluBu)-conditioning in allogeneic hematopoietic cell therapy (HCT) for lymphoid and myeloid malignancies and hypothesized that CloFluBu provides a less toxic alternative to conventional conditioning regimens, with adequate antileukemic activity. All patients receiving their first HCT, from 2011-2019, were included and received CloFluBu. The primary endpoint was event-free survival (EFS). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), graft-versus-host disease (GvHD)-relapse-free survival (GRFS), treatment-related mortality (TRM), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), acute and chronic GvHD (aGvHD and cGvHD), and veno-occlusive disease (VOD). Cox proportional hazard and Fine and Gray competing-risk models were used for data analysis. One hundred fifty-five children were included: 60 acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), 69 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 26 other malignancies (mostly MDS-EB). The median age was 9.7 (0.5 to 18.6) years. Estimated 2-year EFS was 72.0% ± 6.0 in ALL patients, and 62.4% ± 6.0 in AML patients. TRM in the whole cohort was 11.0% ± 2.6, incidence of aGvHD 3 to 4 at 6 months was 12.3% ± 2.7, extensive cGvHD at 2 years was 6.4% ± 2.1. Minimal residual disease-positivity prior to HCT was associated with higher CIR, both in ALL and AML. CloFluBu showed limited toxicity and encouraging EFS. CloFluBu is a potentially less toxic alternative to conventional conditioning regimens. Randomized prospective studies are needed.

Lymphoid and myeloid immune cell reconstitution after nicotinamide-expanded cord blood transplantation.

Omidubicel (nicotinamide-expanded cord blood) is a potential alternative source for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) when an HLA-identical donor is lacking. A phase I/II trial with standalone omidubicel HCT showed rapid and robust neutrophil and platelet engraftment. In this study, we evaluated the immune reconstitution (IR) of patients receiving omidubicel grafts during the first 6 months post-transplant, as IR is critical for favorable outcomes of the procedure. Data was collected from the omidubicel phase I-II international, multicenter trial. The primary endpoint was the probability of achieving adequate CD4+ T-cell IR (CD4IR: > 50 × 106/L within 100 days). Secondary endpoints were the recovery of T-cells, natural killer (NK)-cells, B-cells, dendritic cells (DC), and monocytes as determined with multicolor flow cytometry. LOESS-regression curves and cumulative incidence plots were used for data description. Thirty-six omidubicel recipients (median 44; 13-63 years) were included, and IR data was available from 28 recipients. Of these patients, 90% achieved adequate CD4IR. Overall, IR was complete and consisted of T-cell, monocyte, DC, and notably fast NK- and B-cell reconstitution, compared to conventional grafts. Our data show that transplantation of adolescent and adult patients with omidubicel results in full and broad IR, which is comparable with IR after HCT with conventional graft sources.

Immune Monitoring during Therapy Reveals Activitory and Regulatory Immune Responses in High-Risk Neuroblastoma.

Despite intensive treatment, including consolidation immunotherapy (IT), prognosis of high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NBL) is poor. Immune status of patients over the course of treatment, and thus immunological features potentially explaining therapy efficacy, are largely unknown. In this study, the dynamics of immune cell subsets and their function were explored in 25 HR-NBL patients at diagnosis, during induction chemotherapy, before high-dose chemotherapy, and during IT. The dynamics of immune cells varied largely between patients. IL-2- and GM-CSF-containing IT cycles resulted in significant expansion of effector cells (NK-cells in IL-2 cycles, neutrophils and monocytes in GM-CSF cycles). Nonetheless, the cytotoxic phenotype of NK-cells was majorly disturbed at the start of IT, and both IL-2 and GM-CSF IT cycles induced preferential expansion of suppressive regulatory T-cells. Interestingly, proliferative capacity of purified patient T-cells was impaired at diagnosis as well as during therapy. This study indicates the presence of both immune-enhancing as well as regulatory responses in HR-NBL patients during (immuno)therapy. Especially the double-edged effects observed in IL-2-containing IT cycles are interesting, as this potentially explains the absence of clinical benefit of IL-2 addition to IT cycles. This suggests that there is a need to combine anti-GD2 with more specific immune-enhancing strategies to improve IT outcome in HR-NBL.

CD4+ T-cell reconstitution predicts survival outcomes after acute graft-versus-host-disease: a dual-center validation.

Acute graft-versus-host-Disease (aGVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We previously showed that early CD4+ T-cell immune reconstitution (IR; CD4+ IR) predicts survival after HCT. Here, we studied the relation between CD4+ IR and survival in patients developing aGVHD. Pediatric patients undergoing first allogeneic HCT at University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC)/Princess Máxima Center (PMC) or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) were included. Primary outcomes were nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS), stratified for aGVHD and CD4+ IR, defined as ≥50 CD4+ T cells per µL within 100 days after HCT or before aGVHD onset. Multivariate and time-to-event Cox proportional hazards models were applied, and 591 patients (UMC/PMC, n = 276; MSK, n = 315) were included. NRM in patients with grade 3 to 4 aGVHD with or without CD4+ IR within 100 days after HCT was 30% vs 80% (P = .02) at UMC/PMC and 5% vs 67% (P = .02) at MSK. This was associated with lower OS without CD4+ IR (UMC/PMC, 61% vs 20%; P = .04; MSK, 75% vs 33%; P = .12). Inadequate CD4+ IR before aGVHD onset was associated with significantly higher NRM (74% vs 12%; P < .001) and inferior OS (24% vs 78%; P < .001). In this retrospective analysis, we demonstrate that early CD4+ IR, a simple and robust marker predictive of outcomes after HCT, is associated with survival after moderate to severe aGVHD. This association must be confirmed prospectively but suggests strategies to improve T-cell recovery after HCT may influence survival in patients developing aGVHD.

Reconstitution of T Cell Subsets Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative treatment option for patients suffering from chemotherapy-refractory or relapsed hematological malignancies. The occurrence of morbidity and mortality after allo-HCT is still high. This is partly correlated with the immunological recovery of the T cell subsets, of which the dynamics and relations to complications are still poorly understood. Detailed information on T cell subset recovery is crucial to provide tools for better prediction and modulation of adverse events. Here, we review the current knowledge regarding CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, γδ T cells, iNKT cells, Treg cells, MAIT cells and naive and memory T cell reconstitution, as well as their relations to outcome, considering different cell sources and immunosuppressive therapies. We conclude that the T cell subsets reconstitute in different ways and are associated with distinct adverse and beneficial events; however, adequate reconstitution of all the subsets is associated with better overall survival. Although the exact mechanisms involved in the reconstitution of each T cell subset and their associations with allo-HCT outcome need to be further elucidated, the data and suggestions presented here point towards the development of individualized approaches to improve their reconstitution. This includes the modulation of immunotherapeutic interventions based on more detailed immune monitoring, aiming to improve overall survival changes.

Predictors for Autoimmune Cytopenias after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children.

Development of autoimmune cytopenia (AIC) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a serious complication requiring urgent intensification of immunosuppressive therapy. The pathophysiology and predictors of AIC are not completely understood. In this retrospective cohort analysis of 380 pediatric patients, we evaluated the incidence, outcomes, and related various variables, including immune reconstitution markers to AIC. Three hundred eighty patients (median age, 7.4 years; range, .1 to 22.7) were included, of which 30 patients (7.8%) developed AIC in 1 (n = 6), 2 (n = 6), or 3 (n = 16) cell lineages at a median of 133 days (range, 46 to 445) after HCT. Using multivariate analysis we found that chemo-naivety before HCT, acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) grades II to IV, and serotherapy were associated with the development of AIC. Development of AIC was preceded by increased levels of IgM, IgA, and IgG. Immune profiles of total absolute lymphocytes were very similar between AIC patients and control subjects. However, CD3-CD16+CD56+ natural killer cells, CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cell subset, and CD3+CD8+ T cell subset were lower in AIC patients. Overall survival was good, at 83% (similar between AIC patients and control subjects). In conclusion, we identified chemo-naivety before HCT, preceding aGVHD grades II to IV, and serotherapy as predictors for development of AIC. Increasing levels of IgM, IgA, and IgG preceded AIC development. These data provide clues to further study the biology of AIC.

STAT Family Protein Expression and Phosphorylation State during moDC Development Is Altered by Platinum-Based Chemotherapeutics.

The STAT signaling pathway is important in dendritic cell (DC) development and function. Tumor cells can induce STAT signaling, thereby inhibiting DC maturation and immunostimulatory functions, leading to hampered efficacy of DC-based immunotherapies. Platinum-based chemotherapeutics can inhibit STAT signaling, thereby making them an interesting tool to improve DC development and function. In this study, we provide a comprehensive overview of STAT expression and phosphorylation during DC differentiation and maturation and investigate the effects of platinum drugs on STAT signaling during these processes. Monocytes were differentiated into monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs) with IL-4 and GM-CSF and matured with cytokines or TLR ligands. STAT expression and phosphorylation were analyzed by western blotting, and moDC viability and phenotype were analyzed by flow cytometry. Platinum drugs were added at day 3 of differentiation or at the start of maturation to investigate regulation of the STAT signaling pathway. All STAT proteins were expressed during moDC differentiation and STAT1, STAT5, and STAT6 were phosphorylated. No significant changes occurred in the expression and phosphorylation state of the STAT proteins during differentiation. After maturation with TLR ligands, the expression of STAT1 increased, but other STAT proteins were not affected. Phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 increased during maturation, where TLR ligands induced significantly higher levels of phosphorylation than cytokines. Platinum drugs cisplatin and oxaliplatin significantly inhibited phosphorylation of STAT6 during differentiation and maturation. Treatment did not affect the phenotype or viability of the cells. As STAT6 is an important regulator of DC function, these findings suggest a role for platinum-based chemotherapeutics to enhance DC function via inhibition of STAT signaling, thereby potentially enhancing efficacy of DC-based immunotherapies.

Innate Immune Recovery Predicts CD4+ T Cell Reconstitution after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Innate immune cells are the first to recover after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Nevertheless, reports of innate immune cell recovery and their relation to adaptive recovery after HCT are largely lacking. Especially predicting CD4+ T cell reconstitution is of clinical interest, because this parameter directly associates with survival chances after HCT. We evaluated whether innate recovery relates to CD4+ T cell reconstitution probability and investigated differences between innate recovery after cord blood transplantation (CBT) and bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We developed a multivariate, combined nonlinear mixed-effects model for monocytes, neutrophils, and natural killer (NK) cell recovery after transplantation. A total of 205 patients undergoing a first HCT (76 BMT, 129 CBT) between 2007 and 2016 were included. The median age was 7.3years (range, .16 to 23). Innate recovery was highly associated with CD4+ T cell reconstitution probability (P < .001) in multivariate analysis correcting for covariates. Monocyte (P < .001), neutrophil (P < .001), and NK cell (P < .001) recovery reached higher levels during the first 200days after CBT compared with BMT. The higher innate recovery after CBT may be explained by increased proliferation capacity (measured by Ki-67 expression) of innate cells in CB grafts compared with BM grafts (P = .041) and of innate cells in vivo after CBT compared with BMT (P = .048). At an individual level, patients with increased innate recovery after either CBT or BMT had received grafts with higher proliferating innate cells (CB; P = .004, BM; P = .01, respectively). Our findings implicate the use of early innate immune monitoring to predict the chance of CD4+ T cell reconstitution after HCT, with respect to higher innate recovery after CBT compared with BMT.

Human herpesvirus 6 viremia affects T-cell reconstitution after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) viremia is a common cause of morbidity following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We previously associated T-cell reconstitution with HHV6 viremia. Here, we investigated whether HHV6 viremia affects T-cell reconstitution after HCT in a time-dependent retrospective analysis. We included 273 pediatric patients (0.1-22.7 years; median follow-up, 58 months) receiving a first HCT between 2004 and 2014. HHV6 was screened weekly in plasma via polymerase chain reaction and occurred in 79 patients (29%) at a median time of 19 days after transplant. Main outcome of interest was immune reconstitution (IR) (CD3/CD4/CD8 T cells), measured biweekly until 12 weeks and monthly thereafter. Cox proportional-hazard models were used with IR and HHV6 as time-dependent variables in multivariate analysis with serotherapy in conditioning, graft source, graft-versus-host disease, age, and other viruses (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and adenovirus) as covariates. Only patients with very high HHV6 viremia (>105 copies/mL) showed hampered CD4+ (hazard ratio [HR], 0.913; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.892-0.934; P < .001) and CD8+ (HR, 0.912; 95% CI, 0.891-0.933; P < .001) reconstitution in comparison with patients without HHV6, from ∼6 months after HCT. Especially naïve CD4+ IR was affected (P = .028) but not effector memory CD4+ IR (P = .33). Interestingly, T-cell reconstitution was improved in patients treated with antivirals (HR, 1.572; 95% CI, 1.463-1.690; P < .001). These findings suggest that HHV6 viremia affects late but not early T-cell reconstitution.

Filgrastim enhances T-cell clearance by antithymocyte globulin exposure after unrelated cord blood transplantation.

Residual antithymocyte globulin (ATG; Thymoglobulin) exposure after allogeneic hematopoietic (stem) cell transplantation (HCT) delays CD4+ T-cell immune reconstitution (CD4+ IR), subsequently increasing morbidity and mortality. This effect seems particularly present after cord blood transplantation (CBT) compared to bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The reason for this is currently unknown. We investigated the effect of active-ATG exposure on CD4+ IR after BMT and CBT in 275 patients (CBT n = 155, BMT n = 120; median age, 7.8 years; range, 0.16-19.2 years) receiving their first allogeneic HCT between January 2008 and September 2016. Multivariate log-rank tests (with correction for covariates) revealed that CD4+ IR was faster after CBT than after BMT with <10 active-ATG × day/mL (P = .018) residual exposure. In contrast, >10 active-ATG × day/mL exposure severely impaired CD4+ IR after CBT (P < .001), but not after BMT (P = .74). To decipher these differences, we performed ATG-binding and ATG-cytotoxicity experiments using cord blood- and bone marrow graft-derived T-cell subsets, B cells, natural killer cells, and monocytes. No differences were observed. Nevertheless, a major covariate in our cohort was Filgrastim treatment (only given after CBT). We found that Filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]) exposure highly increased neutrophil-mediated ATG cytotoxicity (by 40-fold [0.5 vs 20%; P = .002]), which explained the enhanced T-cell clearance after CBT. These findings imply revision of the use (and/or timing) of G-CSF in patients with residual ATG exposure.

Immune reconstitution and outcomes after conditioning with anti-thymocyte-globulin in unrelated cord blood transplantation; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) exhibits a low risk of graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) and has unique potent anti-virus and anti-leukemia effects. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in the conditioning regimen for UCBT is successful in reducing graft rejection and GvHD. Nevertheless, this beneficial effect of ATG coincides with its detrimental effect on immune reconstitution. The latter directly relates to a high incidence of viral infections and leukemia relapses. ATG has been used in transplant patients for over 30 years. In recent years, the knowledge on the mechanisms of action of ATG and its implementation in the UCBT setting has increased dramatically. Important data became available showing the highly variable pharmacokinetics (PK) of ATG and its consequence on outcome measures. Here, we review the effects of ATG on immune reconstitution and subsequent outcomes after UCBT, and describe the mechanisms causing these effects. We highlight the importance of optimizing ATG exposure before and after UCBT and discuss strategies to maintain the 'good' and overcome the 'bad and ugly' effects of ATG on UCBT outcome.

Viral reactivations and associated outcomes in the context of immune reconstitution after pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Viral reactivations (VRs) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. Timely immune reconstitution (IR) is suggested to prevent VR. OBJECTIVES: We studied the relation between IR (as a continuous predictor over time) and VR (as a time-varying predictor) and the relation between VR and other clinical outcomes. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis all patients receiving a first HCT between January 2004 and September 2014 were included. IR (CD3/CD4/CD8 T, natural killer, and B cells) was measured biweekly until 12 weeks and monthly thereafter. Main outcomes of interest were VR of adenovirus, EBV, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and BK virus screened weekly. Clinical outcomes included overall survival (OS), event-free-survival, nonrelapse mortality (NRM), and graft-versus-host disease. Cox proportional hazard and Fine and Gray competing risk models were used. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-three patients (age, 0.1-22.7 years; median follow-up, 58 months) were included. Delayed CD4 reconstitution predicted reactivation of adenovirus (hazard ratio [HR], 0.995; P = .022), EBV (HR, 0.994; P = .029), and HHV6 (HR, 0.991; P = .012) but not CMV (P = .31) and BK virus (P = .27). Duration of adenovirus reactivation was shorter with timely CD4 reconstitution, which was defined as 50 × 106 cells/L or greater within 100 days. Adenovirus reactivation predicted lower OS (HR, 2.17; P = .0039) and higher NRM (HR, 2.96; P = .0008). Concomitant CD4 reconstitution abolished this negative effect of adenovirus reactivation (OS, P = .67; NRM, P = .64). EBV and HHV6 reactivations were predictors for the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease, whereas CMV and BK virus reactivation did not predict clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: These results stress the importance of timely CD4 reconstitution. Strategies to improve CD4 reconstitution can improve HCT outcomes, including survival, and reduce the need for toxic antiviral therapies.

Strategies before, during, and after hematopoietic cell transplantation to improve T-cell immune reconstitution.

T-cell immune reconstitution (IR) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is highly variable between patients and may take several months to even years. Patients with delayed or unbalanced T-cell IR have a higher probability of developing transplantation-related morbidity, mortality, and relapse of disease. Hence, there is a need for strategies to better predict and improve IR to reduce these limitations of allo-HCT. In this review, we provide an update of current and in-near-future clinically relevant strategies before, during, and after transplantation to achieve successful T-cell IR. Potent strategies are choosing the right HCT source (eg, donor-recipient matching, cell dose, graft manipulation), individualized conditioning and serotherapy (eg, antithymocyte globulin), nutritional status, exercise, home care, modulation of microbiota, enhancing homeostatic peripheral expansion, promoting thymopoiesis, and the use of adjuvant-targeted cellular immunotherapies. Strategies to prevent graft-versus-host disease are important as well because this complication and the subsequent need for immunosuppression affects T-cell IR and function. These options aim for personalized precision transplantation, where allo-HCT therapy is designed to boost a well-balanced T-cell IR and limit complications in individual patients, resulting in overall lower morbidity and higher survival chances.

Improving cancer immunotherapy by targeting the STATe of MDSCs.

Cancer immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic avenue; however, in practice its efficacy is hampered by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that consists of suppressive cell types like myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Eradication or reprogramming of MDSCs could therefore enhance clinical responses to immunotherapy. Here, we review clinically available drugs that target MDSCs, often through inhibition of STAT signaling, which is essential for MDSC accumulation and suppressive functions. Interestingly, several drugs used for non-cancerous indications and natural compounds similarly inhibit MDSCs by STAT inhibition, but have fewer side effects than anticancer drugs. Therefore, they show great potential for combination strategies with immunotherapy.

Immune Reconstitution after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children.

Allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has evolved into a potent curative treatment option for a variety of malignant and nonmalignant diseases. The occurrence of complications and mortality after allo-HCT is, however, still high and is strongly associated with immune reconstitution (IR). Therefore, detailed information on IR through immunomonitoring is crucial to improve survival chances after HCT. To date, information about the reconstituting immune system after allo-HCT in pediatric patients is mostly derived from routine standard-of-care measurements. More profound knowledge on IR may provide tools to better predict and modulate adverse reactions and, subsequently, improve survival chances. Here, we provide an overview of IR (eg, immune cell subsets and circulating chemokines/cytokines) after allo-HCT in children, taking into account different cell sources and serotherapy, and discuss strategies to enhance immunomonitoring. We conclude that available IR data after allo-HCT contain limited information on immune cell families (mostly only generic T, B, and NK cells), which would improve with more detailed information on reconstituting cell subsets or effector cell functionality at earlier time points (<1 month). In addition, secretome data (eg, multiplex cytokine/chemokine profiles) could add to the understanding of IR mechanisms and cell functionality and may even provide (early) biomarkers for individual disease outcome, such as viral reactivity, graft-versus-host disease, or graft-versus-leukemia. The present data and suggestions for more detailed, standardized, and harmonized immunomonitoring in future (pediatric) allo-HCT studies will pave the path to "precision transplantation:" an individualized HCT approach (including conditioning), based on detailed information on IR and biomarkers, aiming to reduce transplantation related mortality and relapse, and subsequently improve survival chances.