Common, intermediate and well-documented HLA alleles in world populations: CIWD version 3.0.0.

A catalog of common, intermediate and well-documented (CIWD) HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, -DQB1 and -DPB1 alleles has been compiled from over 8 million individuals using data from 20 unrelated hematopoietic stem cell volunteer donor registries. Individuals are divided into seven geographic/ancestral/ethnic groups and data are summarized for each group and for the total population. P (two-field) and G group assignments are divided into one of four frequency categories: common (≥1 in 10 000), intermediate (≥1 in 100 000), well-documented (≥5 occurrences) or not-CIWD. Overall 26% of alleles in IPD-IMGT/HLA version 3.31.0 at P group resolution fall into the three CIWD categories. The two-field catalog includes 18% (n = 545) common, 17% (n = 513) intermediate, and 65% (n = 1997) well-documented alleles. Full-field allele frequency data are provided but are limited in value by the variations in resolution used by the registries. A recommended CIWD list is based on the most frequent category in the total or any of the seven geographic/ancestral/ethnic groups. Data are also provided so users can compile a catalog specific to the population groups that they serve. Comparisons are made to three previous CWD reports representing more limited population groups. This catalog, CIWD version 3.0.0, is a step closer to the collection of global HLA frequencies and to a clearer view of HLA diversity in the human population as a whole.

Selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units for hematopoietic cell transplantation: guidelines from the NMDP/CIBMTR.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation involves consideration of both donor and recipient characteristics to guide the selection of a suitable graft. Sufficient high-resolution donor-recipient HLA match is of primary importance in transplantation with adult unrelated donors, using conventional graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. In cord blood transplantation, optimal unit selection requires consideration of unit quality, cell dose and HLA-match. In this summary, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, jointly with the NMDP Histocompatibility Advisory Group, provide evidence-based guidelines for optimal selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units.

Full gene HLA class I sequences of 79 novel and 519 mostly uncommon alleles from a large United States registry population.

HLA class I assignments were obtained at single genotype, G-level resolution from 98 855 volunteers for an unrelated donor registry in the United States. In spite of the diverse ancestry of the volunteers, over 99% of the assignments at each locus are common. Within this population, 52 novel alleles differing in exons 2 and 3 are identified and characterized. Previously reported alleles with incomplete sequences in the IPD-IMGT/HLA database (n = 519) were selected for full gene sequencing and, from this sampling, another 27 novel alleles are described.

The effect of donor characteristics on survival after unrelated donor transplantation for hematologic malignancy.

There are >24 million registered adult donors, and the numbers of unrelated donor transplantations are increasing. The optimal strategy for prioritizing among comparably HLA-matched potential donors has not been established. Therefore, the objective of the current analyses was to study the association between donor characteristics (age, sex, parity, cytomegalovirus serostatus, HLA match, and blood group ABO match) and survival after transplantation for hematologic malignancy. The association of donor characteristics with transplantation outcomes was examined using either logistic or Cox regression models, adjusting for patient disease and transplantation characteristics associated with outcomes in 2 independent datasets: 1988 to 2006 (N = 6349; training cohort) and 2007 to 2011 (N = 4690; validation cohort). All donor-recipient pairs had allele-level HLA typing at HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1, which is the current standard for selecting donors. Adjusting for patient disease and transplantation characteristics, survival was better after transplantation of grafts from young donors (aged 18-32 years) who were HLA matched to recipients (P < .001). These findings were validated for transplantations that occurred between 2007 and 2011. For every 10-year increment in donor age, there is a 5.5% increase in the hazard ratio for overall mortality. Increasing HLA disparity was also associated with worsening survival. Donor age and donor-recipient HLA match are important when selecting adult unrelated donors. Other donor characteristics such as sex, parity, and cytomegalovirus serostatus were not associated with survival. The effect of ABO matching on survival is modest and must be studied further before definitive recommendations can be offered.

Acute GVHD in patients receiving IL-15/4-1BBL activated NK cells following T-cell-depleted stem cell transplantation.

Natural killer (NK) cells can enhance engraftment and mediate graft-versus-leukemia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but the potency of graft-versus-leukemia mediated by naturally reconstituting NK cells following HSCT is limited. Preclinical studies demonstrate that activation of NK cells using interleukin-15 (IL-15) plus 4-1BBL upregulates activating receptor expression and augments killing capacity. In an effort to amplify the beneficial effects of NK cells post-HSCT, we conducted a first-in-human trial of adoptive transfer of donor-derived IL-15/4-1BBL-activated NK cells (aNK-DLI) following HLA-matched, T-cell-depleted (1-2 × 10(4) T cells/kg) nonmyeloablative peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in children and young adults with ultra-high-risk solid tumors. aNK-DLI were CD3(+)-depleted, CD56(+)-selected lymphocytes, cultured for 9 to 11 days with recombinant human IL-15 plus 4-1BBL(+)IL-15Rα(+) artificial antigen-presenting cells. aNK-DLI demonstrated potent killing capacity and displayed high levels of activating receptor expression. Five of 9 transplant recipients experienced acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following aNK-DLI, with grade 4 GVHD observed in 3 subjects. GVHD was more common in matched unrelated donor vs matched sibling donor recipients and was associated with higher donor CD3 chimerism. Given that the T-cell dose was below the threshold required for GVHD in this setting, we conclude that aNK-DLI contributed to the acute GVHD observed, likely by augmenting underlying T-cell alloreactivity. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01287104.

Nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch increases mortality after myeloablative unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

We examined current outcomes of unrelated donor allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) to determine the clinical implications of donor-recipient HLA matching. Adult and pediatric patients who had first undergone myeloablative-unrelated bone marrow or peripheral blood HCT for acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome between 1999 and 2011 were included. All had high-resolution typing for HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1. Of the total (n = 8003), cases were 8/8 (n = 5449), 7/8 (n = 2071), or 6/8 (n = 483) matched. HLA mismatch (6-7/8) conferred significantly increased risk for grades II to IV and III to IV acute graft vs host disease (GVHD), chronic GVHD, transplant-related mortality (TRM), and overall mortality compared with HLA-matched cases (8/8). Type (allele/antigen) and locus (HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1) of mismatch were not associated with overall mortality. Among 8/8 matched cases, HLA-DPB1 and -DQB1 mismatch resulted in increased acute GVHD, and HLA-DPB1 mismatch had decreased relapse. Nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 allele mismatch was associated with higher TRM compared with permissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch or HLA-DPB1 match and increased overall mortality compared with permissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch in 8/8 (and 10/10) matched cases. Full matching at HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 is required for optimal unrelated donor HCT survival, and avoidance of nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 mismatches in otherwise HLA-matched pairs is indicated.

Evaluation of HLA matching in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for nonmalignant disorders.

The importance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching in unrelated donor transplantation for nonmalignant diseases (NMD) has yet to be defined. We analyzed data from 663 unrelated marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants performed from 1995 to 2007 for treatment of NMD. Transplantation from a donor mismatched at the HLA-A, -B, -C, or -DRB1, but not -DQB1 or -DPB1, loci was associated with higher mortality in multivariate analyses (P = .002). The hazard ratio for mortality for single (7/8) and double mismatched (6/8) transplants was 1.29 (0.97-1.72; P = .079) and 1.82 (1.30-2.55; P = .0004), respectively, compared with 8/8 matched transplants. HLA mismatches were not associated with acute or chronic GVHD, but were strongly associated with graft failure. After adjustment for other factors, the odds ratio for graft failure for 7/8 and 6/8 (allele and/or antigen) matched pairs compared with 8/8 matched transplants was 2.81 (1.74-4.54; P < .0001) and 2.22 (1.26-3.97; P = .006), respectively. Patients with NMD should receive transplants from allele matched (8/8) donors if possible. Unlike the case with malignancies, HLA mismatching in NMD is associated with graft failure rather than GVHD.

Donor registries and search strategies.

The optimal donor of hematopoietic progenitor cells shares alleles of the major histocompatibility genes with the recipient. This chapter describes the strategies aimed at identifying such a matched donor from registries of volunteers or from umbilical cord blood banks.

A perspective on the selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units for transplantation.

Selection of a suitable graft for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation involves consideration of both donor and recipient characteristics. Of primary importance is sufficient donor-recipient HLA matching to ensure engraftment and acceptable rates of GVHD. In this Perspective, the National Marrow Donor Program and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research provide guidelines, based on large studies correlating graft characteristics with clinical transplantation outcomes, on appropriate typing strategies and matching criteria for unrelated adult donor and cord blood graft selection.

HLA-identical sibling compared with 8/8 matched and mismatched unrelated donor bone marrow transplant for chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia.

PURPOSE: Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from an unrelated donor (URD) is an option for many patients who do not have an HLA-identical sibling donor (MSD). Current criteria for the selection of URDs include consideration for HLA alleles determined by high resolution typing methods, with preference for allele-matched donors. However, the utility and outcome associated with transplants from URDs compared with those from MSDs remains undefined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined clinical outcome after patients received bone marrow transplants (BMTs) from MSDs; HLA-A, -B, -C, and DRB1 allele-matched URDs (8/8); and HLA-mismatched URDs in a homogeneous population of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in first chronic phase (CP1) where a strong allogeneic effect and hence a lower risk of relapse is anticipated. Transplantation outcomes were compared between 1,052 URD and 3,514 MSD BMT recipients with CML in CP1. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival and leukemia-free survival (LFS) after receipt of BMTs from 8/8 matched URDs were worse than those after receipt of BMTs from MSDs (5-year survival, 55% v 63%; RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.56; P < .001; LFS, 50% v 55%; RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.40; P = .006). Survival was progressively worse with greater degrees of mismatch. Similar and low risk of relapse were observed after receipt of transplant from either MSD or URD. CONCLUSION: In this homogeneous cohort of good risk patients with CML in CP1, 5-year overall survival and LFS after receipt of transplant from 8/8 allele-matched donors were modestly though significantly worse than those after receipt of transplant from MSDs. Additive adverse effects of multilocus mismatching are not well tolerated and should be avoided if possible.

High-resolution donor-recipient HLA matching contributes to the success of unrelated donor marrow transplantation.

The relative importance of various human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci and the resolution level at which they are matched has not been fully defined for unrelated donor transplantation. To address this question, National Marrow Donor Program data from 3857 transplantations performed from 1988 to 2003 in the United States were analyzed. Patient-donor pairs were fully typed for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, -DQA1, -DPB1, and -DPA1 alleles. High-resolution DNA matching for HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 (8/8 match) was the minimum level of matching associated with the highest survival. A single mismatch detected by low- or high-resolution DNA testing at HLA-A, -B, -C or -DRB1 (7/8 match) was associated with higher mortality (relative risk, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.13-1.38; P < .001) and 1-year survival of 43% compared with 52% for 8/8 matched pairs. Single mismatches at HLA-B or HLA-C appear better tolerated than mismatches at HLA-A or HLA-DRB1. Mismatching at 2 or more loci compounded the risk. Mismatching at HLA-DP or -DQ loci and donor factors other than HLA type were not associated with survival. In multivariate modeling, patient age, race, disease stage, and cytomegalovirus status were as predictive of survival as donor HLA matching. High-resolution DNA matching for HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 alleles is associated with higher rates of survival.

A molecular mechanism for the differential regulation of TGF-beta1 expression due to the common SNP -509C-T (c. -1347C > T).

Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) levels influence many cellular, immunologic and pathologic processes. Activator protein 1 (AP1) and hypoxia are key regulators of TGF-beta1 expression levels. The common TGFB1 promoter SNP c.-1347C > T (-509C-T, rs1800469) has been linked to a nearly twofold difference in plasma levels among individuals and with risk, progression, and outcome of numerous diseases. We demonstrate exclusive in vitro and in vivo recruitment of AP1 containing JunD to -1347C. This study also is the first to demonstrate hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) binding to the TGFB1 promoter. HIF-1 was found to associate with both -1347C and -1347T and compete with AP1 for binding to -1347C. Reporter constructs demonstrate that expression differences between -1347C and -1347T are due to selective AP1 recruitment to the TGFB1 promoter. As AP1 is known to down-regulate transcription of other genes, we suggest that the molecular mechanism for the difference in TGF-beta1 plasma levels linked to -1347 is due to transcriptional suppression by AP1 binding to -1347C. These data should aid in our understanding of the association of the -1347 SNP with the pathogenesis of certain TGF-beta1-related diseases.

HLA dictionary 2004: summary of HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1/3/4/5, -DQB1 alleles and their association with serologically defined HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, and -DQ antigens.

This report presents serologic equivalents of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, and -DQB1 alleles. The dictionary is an update of the one published in 2001. The data summarize equivalents obtained by the World Health Organization (WHO) Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System, the International Cell Exchange (UCLA), the National Marrow Donor Program, recent publications, and individual laboratories. This latest update of the dictionary is enhanced by the inclusion of results from studies performed during the 13th International Histocompatibility Workshop and from neural network analyses. A summary of the data as recommended serologic equivalents is presented as expert assigned types. The tables include remarks for alleles, which are or may be expressed as antigens with serologic reaction patterns that differ from the well-established HLA specificities. The equivalents provided will be useful in guiding searches for unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors in which patients and/or potential donors are typed by either serology or DNA-based methods. The serological-DNA equivalent dictionary will also aid in typing and matching procedures for organ transplant programs whose waiting lists of potential donors and recipients are comprised of mixtures of serologic and DNA-based typings. The tables with HLA equivalents and a questionnaire for submission of serologic reaction patterns for poorly identified allelic products will be made available through the World Marrow Donor Association Web page (www.worldmarrow.org).