T Regulatory Cells in Donor Grafts May Predict the Severity of Acute Graft Versus Host Disease After Matched Sibling Donor Allogenic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation.

ABSTRACT

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and relapse are major issues for patients undergoing allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT). T-regulatory (Treg) cells in the donor graft are negatively correlated with the incidence of aGVHD without any impact on relapse. In this study to determine the association of Treg cells with aGVHD in allo-HSCT patients. Thirty-two patients with hematological disorders, who underwent allo-HSCT. Twenty-nine patients who achieved engraftment were enrolled in the study. Treg cells were quantified in donor graft by flowcytometry and were assessed for their association with aGVHD and other clinical outcomes. Fifteen of 29 patients developed aGVHD. According to the occurrence and severity of aGVHD, patients were divided into two groups 20 (68.9%) patients with grade 0-I aGVHD and 9 (31.1%) patients with grade II-IV aGVHD. Treg cells/CD4 ratio was significantly higher in the grade 0-I aGVHD group than in grade II-IV aGVHD group, (p = 0.0002). We could not find the association of CD34 dose (p = 0.55) or CD3 dose (p = 0.57) with the severity of aGVHD. Higher Treg cells/CD4 ratio in donor graft was associated with less severe aGVHD. Though more studies are needed, Treg cells/CD4 ratio may be used as a predictive marker for severity of aGVHD in post allo-HSCT.