Graft-versus-host Disease Mortality Research Articles

Peripheral blood stem cell versus bone marrow graft for patients ≥60 years undergoing reduced intensity conditioning haploidentical transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia in complete remission: An analysis of the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

In the context of T-cell replete haploidentical stem cell transplantation (Haplo-SCT) using post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy), it is still unknown whether peripheral blood (PB) or bone marrow (BM) is the best graft source. While PB is associated with a higher incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), it may induce a stronger graft-versus-leukemia effect compared to BM, notably in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). From the EBMT registry database, we compared T-cell replete PB (n = 595) versus BM (n = 209) grafts in a large cohort of 804 patients over the age of 60 years who underwent Haplo-SCT with PT-Cy for an AML in first or second complete remission. The risk of acute GVHD was significantly higher in the PB group (Grade II-IV: HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.10-2.54], p = 0.01; Grade III-IV: HR = 2.29, 95% CI [1.16-4.54], p = 0.02). No significant difference was observed in chronic GVHD or non-relapse mortality. In the PB group, the risk of relapse was significantly lower in the PB group (HR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.45-0.94], p = 0.02) and leukemia-free survival was significantly better (HR = 0.76, 95% CI [0.59-0.99], p = 0.04), with a trend toward better overall survival (HR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.60-1.01], p = 0.06). We conclude that in the specific context of Haplo-SCT with PT-Cy, PB grafts represent a valid option to decrease the risk of relapse and improve outcome of older AML patients who usually do not benefit from conditioning intensification.

Effect of IL-2 polymorphism rs2069762 on single-unit cord blood transplant outcomes

BackgroundInterleukin-2 (IL-2) is one of the most important cytokines that regulate the activation and proliferation of T cells and natural killer cells. The production of IL-2 may be affected by polymorphisms in the promoter region of the IL-2 gene (rs2069762). In allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from adult donors, rs2069762 has been associated with the incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, the impacts of IL-2 polymorphism on cord blood transplantation (CBT) outcomes remain unclear. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the impact of IL-2 polymorphism rs2069762 on transplant outcomes, such as hematopoietic recovery, GVHD, overall survival, relapse, and non-relapse mortality (NRM) after CBT. Study DesignWe conducted a retrospective analysis of data from adult patients who underwent single-unit CBT at our institution from November 2005 to March 2023 for whom DNA samples from recipients and donors were available. IL-2 genotyping was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction with the TaqMan® SNP genotyping assay for rs2069762. ResultsA total of 143 recipient and donor pairs were included in this study. The proportion of recipient IL-2 polymorphism rs2069762 was 48 % (n = 69) for AA, 42 % (n = 60) for CA, and 10 % (n = 14) for CC. The proportion of donor IL-2 polymorphism rs2069762 was 43 % (n = 61) for AA, 48 % (n = 69) for CA, and 9 % (n = 13) for CC. In the multivariate analysis, the use of an rs2069762 CA + CC donor was associated with lower neutrophil recovery compared to an rs2069762 AA donor (hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.50–0.88; P = 0.004). Furthermore, recipients of rs2069762 CA + CC were associated with higher NRM compared to recipients of rs2069762 AA (HR, 2.32; 95 % CI, 1.01–5.34; P = 0.047). Serum IL-2 levels at 8 weeks were significantly higher in rs2069762 CA + CC recipients compared to those with rs2069762 AA recipients (P = 0.014). ConclusionOur data showed that donor IL-2 polymorphism affects neutrophil recovery and recipient IL-2 polymorphism affects NRM in adults undergoing single-unit CBT. The polymorphism of IL-2 rs2069762 in recipients and donors might be associated with the clinical outcomes of single-unit CBT.

Autophagy differentially regulates tissue tolerance of distinct target organs in graft-versus-host disease models.

Tissue-intrinsic mechanisms that regulate severity of systemic pathogenic immune-mediated diseases, such as acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), remain poorly understood. Following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, autophagy, a cellular stress protective response, is induced in host nonhematopoietic cells. To systematically address the role of autophagy in various host nonhematopoietic tissues, both specific classical target organs of acute GVHD (intestines, liver, and skin) and organs conventionally not known to be targets of GVHD (kidneys and heart), we generated mice with organ-specific knockout of autophagy related 5 (ATG5) to specifically and exclusively inhibit autophagy in the specific organs. When compared with wild-type recipients, animals that lacked ATG5 in the gastrointestinal tract or liver showed significantly greater tissue injury and mortality, while autophagy deficiency in the skin, kidneys, or heart did not affect mortality. Treatment with the systemic autophagy inducer sirolimus only partially mitigated GVHD mortality in intestine-specific autophagy-deficient hosts. Deficiency of autophagy increased MHC class I on the target intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in greater susceptibility to damage by alloreactive T cells. Thus, autophagy is a critical cell-intrinsic protective response that promotes tissue tolerance and regulates GVHD severity.

HLA haploidentical stem cell transplantation from HLA homozygous donors to HLA heterozygous donors may have lower survival rates than haploidentical transplantation from HLA heterozygous donors to HLA heterozygous donors: a retrospective nationwide analysis.

In HLA haploidentical stem cell transplantation, patients and donors usually share one HLA haplotype and have one different HLA haplotype (hetero-to-hetero). However, there are rare cases of transplantation from HLA homozygous donors to heterozygous recipients (homo-to-hetero), resulting in mismatches only in the graft-versus-host direction. We previously reported that homo-to-hetero transplants have a lower survival rate in a mouse model than hetero-to-hetero transplants due to stronger graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) but inferior graft-versus-leukemia effect. To examine whether homo-to-hetero transplant effects also occur in humans, we retrospectively compared the results of 59 homo-to-hetero and 4,539 hetero-to-hetero cases in the Japanese transplant registry data. The results showed no statistical difference between the homo-to-hetero and hetero-to-hetero groups in the cumulative incidences of neutrophil engraftment (83.1% vs 89.0%), acute GVHD II-IV (36.8% vs 38.8%), III-IV (16.8% vs 17.4%), chronic GVHD (32.7% vs 30.7%), relapse (52.9% vs 49.0%), and non-relapse mortality (31.6% vs 28.2%). In contrast, overall survival was significantly lower in the homo-to-hetero group than in the hetero-to-hetero group (12.6% vs 26.2%, p = 0.0308). The inferior effect of homo-to-hetero transplantation on overall survival remained significant in multivariate analyses.

Comparison of long-term outcomes after first HLA-mismatched unrelated donor transplantation with single unrelated cord blood transplantation using reduced-intensity or reduced-toxicity conditioning

BackgroundNo comparative data have shown significant survival differences between HLA-mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) transplantation and cord blood (CB) transplantation, each with reduced-intensity/reduced-toxicity conditioning (RIC/RTC). However, advances in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis might help update current strategies. MethodsWe retrospectively compared the outcomes of first allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation from MMUDs (n = 15) or single unrelated CB (n = 35) after RIC/RTC. ResultsThe median age was 60 years. The MMUD group had a numerically lower 100-day incidence of grade III–IV acute GVHD (7% vs. 29%, P = 0.079) and non-relapse mortality (0% vs. 40%, P = 0.12). Eight MMUD recipients received anti-thymocyte globulin, bortezomib, or posttransplant cyclophosphamide for GVHD prophylaxis. They did not develop grade III–IV acute GVHD. The MMUD group had significantly better 5-year overall survival than the CB group (62% vs. 31%, P = 0.021), although relapse rates were similar. A multivariable analysis and sensitivity analysis also showed trends toward higher overall survival in the MMUD group. ConclusionMMUD with better GVHD prophylaxis might be preferred over CB in patients with older age and comorbidities.

Evidence of GVHD/GVL in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from sex-mismatched donors

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is considered a curative treatment for hematological malignancies. However, HCT recipients often face complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and disease relapse. Clinical factors like age and HLA disparity are recognized as risks for GVHD. Notably, sex-mismatched HCT, particularly with female donors and male recipients (F→M), is reported to increase the risk of chronic GVHD. This adverse effect of F→M HCT is thought to result from allogeneic immune response against minor histocompatibility antigens encoded on the Y-chromosome of a male recipient (HY-antigens). Indeed, antibodies against HY-antigens (HY-Abs) were detected three months after F→M HCT, and the cumulative number of HY-Abs was significantly associated with increased risks of chronic GVHD and non-relapse mortality. This review focuses on F→M HCT, shedding light on its impact in several clinical settings and presenting clinical evidence of its allogeneic response, encompassing GVHD and graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects. Additionally, potential clinical options to mitigate adverse effects in F→M HCT will be discussed. Further investigation is required to improve clinical outcomes and understand allogenic immunological reconstitution after F→M HCT.

Inhibition of RIP1 improves immune reconstitution and reduces GVHD mortality while preserving graft-versus-leukemia effects.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains the major cause of morbidity and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Inflammatory cytokines mediate damage to key GVHD targets such as intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and also activate receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1; RIPK1), a critical regulator of apoptosis and necroptosis. We therefore investigated the role of RIP1 in acute GVHD using samples from HCT patients, modeling GVHD damage in vitro with both human and mouse gastrointestinal (GI) organoids, and blocking RIP1 activation in vivo using several well-characterized mouse HCT models. Increased phospho-RIP1 expression in GI biopsies from patients with acute GVHD correlated with tissue damage and predicted NRM. Both the genetic inactivation of RIP1 and the RIP1 inhibitor GNE684 prevented GVHD-induced apoptosis of ISCs in vivo and in vitro. Daily administration of GNE684 for 14 days reduced inflammatory infiltrates in three GVHD target organs (intestine, liver, and spleen) in mice. Unexpectedly, GNE684 administration also reversed the marked loss of regulatory T cells in the intestines and liver during GVHD and reduced splenic T cell exhaustion, thus improving immune reconstitution. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of RIP1 improved long-term survival without compromising the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect in lymphocytic and myeloid leukemia mouse models. Thus, RIP1inhibition may represent a nonimmunosuppressive treatment for GVHD.

Rational Modification of Human Gut Microbiome and Metabolites By Dietary Resistant Starch in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Feasibility Study

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is limited by acute graft versus host disease (GVHD). GVHD is the principal cause of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and a major cause of morbidity after allo-HCT. Recent published experimental data demonstrated that altering the microbiome-metabolite axis regulates acute GVHD severity. Specifically, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate was significantly decreased in the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of mice experiencing GVHD, while restoring butyrate levels by increasing intestinal butyrate-producing bacteria, reduced experimental acute GI GVHD severity and mortality. Prebiotics usually refer to indigestible carbohydrates that are metabolized by the intestinal microbiota to produce microbial metabolites, such as SCFAs, that serve as nutrients for IECs. Administration of defined quantities of resistant potato starch (RPS), as a prebiotic, to normal healthy human volunteers promoted increase in butyrogenic bacteria and increased intestinal levels of SCFA butyrate to a greater extent than other commercially available resistant starch preparations tested. These data form the rationale for this study and led to prospectively study the clinical feasibility and impact of the administration of RPS as a prebiotic dietary intervention on the intestinal microbiota and its dependent metabolites in allo-HCT recipients. Adults undergoing human leukocyte antigen-matched, related-donor myeloablative allo-HCT were recruited and received RPS orally daily from day -7 to day 100 after allo-HCT. Stool samples were collected in the OMNIgene-Gut® (DNA Genotek) collection kit. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing to determine microbiota composition and quantification of fecal SCFAs was performed by liquid chromatography. Blood specimens were collected using standardized protocols. The effect of RPS on plasma SCFAs and > 200 other metabolites was longitudinally assessed using targeted and global metabolomic analyses. Mass spectrometry was utilized for quantification of plasma metabolites. The primary objective was to assess the feasibilty and test the effect of RPS on the structure of the patients' intestinal microbiome. Metrics for the feasibility of this dietary intervention were prespecified by setting a target for ≥ 60 % of patients to adhere to ≥ 70% of scheduled doses. We hypothesized that RPS would be feasible and increase stool butyrate levels as a byproduct of microbial metabolism. Key secondary objectives were to longitudinally evaluate plasma metabolites in recipients of RPS compared to historical controls as well as assess tolerability of RPS in allo-HCT recipients. Ten subjects were enrolled. The primary endpoint was met. Feasibility exceeded the preset goal of ≥ 70% adherence to scheduled dosages in ≥ 60 % of patients as 8 of the 10 patients (80%) received ≥ 70 % of scheduled doses. Intestinal butyrate levels were significantly higher while participants were on RPS as compared to when they were not on RPS (p < 0.0001) (fig. 1A). We observed longitudinal changes in plasma metabolites post allo-HCT compared to baseline independent of whether allo-HCT recipients received RPS (p < 0.0001) (fig. 1B). In RPS recipients, the dominant plasma metabolites were, however, much more stable across timepoints when compared to historic controls suggesting a greater equilibrium in their production and consumption (fig. 1C). The median age of participants was 57 years (range 52-62 years). All subjects received standard GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus and methotrexate as well as standard antibiotic prophylaxis with levaquin, and standard neutropenic fever treatment with IV cefepime (90%) or IV vancomycin, No adverse effects/toxicities attributed to RPS were observed and longitudinal specimens were collected successfully (table 1). This study showed that a dietary intervention using RPS in allo-HCT recipients is feasible, and was able to rationally alter the salutary intestinal microbial metabolite SCFA butyrate, despite the utilization of several HCT related medications, including antibiotics. These data demonstrate translation of fundamental discoveries in mouse allo-HCT studies, to testing RPS in healthy humans, to showing that RPS is a feasible microbiome-modifying intervention in allo-HCT recipients, and that a prebiotic strategy can now be applied and tested to mitigate acute GVHD in allo-HCT.

Prediction of Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) in Recipients of Hematopoietic Cell Transplant(alloHCT) from a Single Mismatched Unrelated Donor Using a Highly Multiplexed Proteomics Assay: MHC-Pepseq

Introduction: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major barrier of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). While direct recognition of mismatched HLA molecules is believed to be the major driver of alloimmune T cell response, indirect presentation of mismatched host class I or class II proteins may also contribute to CD4 T cell-mediated GVHD or graft-versus-leukemia (GVL). Using a novel highly multiplexed peptide-MHC binding assay (MHC-PepSeq), we developed a score of HLA-DRB1 restricted and binding allogeneic peptide sequences for each donor/recipient pair in a CIBMTR cohort of mismatched adult HCT recipients with hematological malignancies. We hypothesized that the risk score derived from the MHC-PepSeq assay is associated with the incidence and severity of acute and chronic GVHD. Methods: Using public population allele frequencies (allelefrequencies.net), we identified a set of alleles that covers >95% of HLA genotypes of 3 major US populations (European Caucasian, African American, Mexican Chicano) at 9 HLA-loci (-A, -B, -C, -DRA1, -DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1, -DPB1) and converted their sequences to 7,744 unique, densely-tiled 15-mer peptides. A highly multiplexed synthesis protocol (“PepSeq”) was used to generate a library of DNA-barcoded peptides of the corresponding sequences, which we used to generate experimental binding measurements of each peptide against 12 common HLA-DRB1 molecules. The resulting data were then used to enumerate DR-binding peptides present in recipient HLA but not donor HLA genotype (“allopeptide score”), for each donor-recipient pair in a cohort of HLA-A, B, C and DRB1 (8/8) matched unrelated donors with a mismatch in HLA-DPB1 and a cohort of 7/8 Class I mismatched unrelated donors. Univariate analysis was used to compare clinical demographics and allopeptide association with clinical outcomes. In multivariable analysis, a logistic regression model was used to analyze aGVHD II-IV at day 100 (primary outcome), and Cox proportional hazards were applied for OS, relapse, chronic GVHD (cGVHD) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) (secondary outcomes). Results: In the 8/8 cohort, 6679 matched unrelated pairs were identified with allopeptide detected in 1563 (30.5%). In the 7/8 cohort, 1133 pairs were identified with allopeptide detected in 156 (15.9%). Patient characteristics were balanced in both cohorts and described in Table 1. In the 8/8 cohort, the cumulative incidence of aGVHD II-IV at day 100 post HCT was 42.3% (95% CI: 40.9-43.7%) in patients with a detectable allopeptide and 45.5% (95%CI: 43.0-48.0%) in patients with non-detectable allopeptide, respectively (p=.069). No significant differences were observed in univariate analysis for cGVHD, NRM, OS. In multivariate analysis there were no significant associations between presence of detectable allopeptide (Y/N) and aGVHD II-IV, cGVHD, OS, and NRM. However, a significant interaction between disease and allopeptide status was detected in the relapse model (P=0.0020), with allopeptide presence associated with a decreased risk of relapse in ALL (HR 0.71; 95%CI:0.54-0.94, p=0.0168) and an increased risk of relapse in AML (HR 1.23; 95%CI:1.05-1.43, p=0.0085). Allopeptide presence was not significantly associated with relapse in MDS (HR 0.89; 95% CI:0.74-1.06 p=0.1901). Adjusted cumulative incidence of relapse is shown in Figure 1. In the 7/8 cohort, cumulative incidence of aGVHD II-IV at day 100 post HCT was 43.4% (95% CI: 40.2-46.5%) and 41.8% (95% CI: 34.1-49.7%) (p=.77) in the allopeptide-detectable and non-detectable groups, respectively. In univariate analysis there were no statistically significant differences noted in cGVHD, NRM, OS. In multivariate analysis allopeptide presence was not significantly associated with any of the endpoints aGVHD II-IV, cGVHD, OS, relapse or NRM. Conclusion: In a large CIBMTR 8/8 and 7/8 matched unrelated donor cohort, allopeptide scores derived from MHC-pepseq were not predictive of aGVHD, possibly due to the limitation of the assay (i.e., low sensitivity, limited to class II presentation - HLA-DRB1 in this analysis) and/or low antigenicity in HLA molecules when indirectly presented as minor histocompatibility antigens. The observed reverse association of allopeptide presence with relapse in AML and ALL requires further investigation, and subgroup analyses for individual HLA-DRB1 presenting allele are currently underway.

The Effect of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) on Early Complications and Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) Recipients.

Objectives Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is commonly used to accelerate neutrophil recovery after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in most transplant centers. There was no consensus on the optimal use of G-CSF after ASCT. Although we useG-CSF to minimize morbidity and mortality, G-CSF can increase the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In our study, we want to show the effect of prophylactic G-CSF on infection frequency, neutrophil and platelet engraftment, the duration of neutropenia, the development of GVHD, hospitalization time, and transplant-related mortality (TRM) after ASCT. Materials and methods One hundred (71 males and 29 females) patients who did not receive G-CSF and 100 (58 males and 42 females) patients who received prophylactic G-CSF were included in the study. Results Age, diagnosis, the time between diagnosis and transplantation, preparation regimen, donor type, and the number of infused cluster of differentiation (CD) 34+ cells were not different in both groups (p>0.05). The frequency of female patients was higher in the group receiving G-CSF. Febrile neutropeniawas more frequent in patients who did not receive G-CSF. Neutrophil engraftment and platelet engraftment were detected longer in patients not receiving G-CSF. The frequency of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) and hyperacute, chronic, andacute GVHD was not different in both groups (p>0.05). One hundred-day TRMand five-year overall survival (OS) were similar in the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusions Our study supports that G-CSF usage does not cause an increase in the frequency of GVHD and has a positive effect on the process by accelerating myeloid engraftment. In light of the data in our study, we can say that the use of G-CSF should be investigated in a randomized controlled clinical trial.

The effect of cryopreservation on engraftment kinetics in fully matched allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Real-life data and literature review

IntroductionThe standard approach for allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is to administer donor cells on the same day as a fresh product to a patient who has been given a preparative regimen. The difficulty in collecting and transporting donor cells, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has made it essential to collect and cryopreserve the grafts before the recipient begins the transplant preparation regimen. However, the short- and long-term impacts of cryopreservation on transplant outcomes remain controversial. Materials and methodsThis retrospective study included 93 patients who underwent allo-SCT between January 2012 and August 2022 at the Stem Cell Transplant Unit of Bursa Uludag University Faculty of Medicine using frozen and fresh products of peripheral blood stem cells from a fully matched sibling donor. The effect of cryopreservation of donor grafts on engraftment kinetics was investigated. ResultsFrozen and fresh products were used in 37 and 56 patients, respectively. The majority of patients had acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The median age at transplantation was 41 years. Neutrophil engraftment time was similar between the two groups (median: 14 vs. 16 days, p = 0.393). Platelet engraftment time was longer in the frozen product group (median: 12 vs. 15 days, p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between freezing time and viability. The acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) rate was 37.8 % in the frozen product group and 28.6 % in the fresh product group (p = 0.349). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of primary and secondary graft failure, chronic GVHD, 30-day chimerism, relapse, overall survival, progression-free survival, and nonrelapse mortality. ConclusionHaving donor cells ready before transplantation significantly prevents donor-induced adverse events and provides confidence and practicality to both the clinician and the recipient. Allo-SCT with frozen products is a successful method that can be safely applied, especially when disruptions in donor-derived cell collection or transportation are foreseen.

Impact of the Recipient's Pre-Treatment Blood Lymphocyte Count on Intended and Unintended Effects of Anti-T-Lymphocyte Globulin in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), Anti-T-Lymphocyte Globulin (ATLG) may be used for the prevention of severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). ATLG targets both the recipient's lymphocytes and those transferred with the graft. Assuming an inverse relation between the recipient's absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and exposure of remaining ATLG to the graft, we aim to evaluate the impact of the recipient's ALC before the first ATLG administration on the benefits (prevention of GVHD and GVHD-associated mortality) and potential risks (increased relapse incidence) associated with ATLG. Methods: In recipients of HLA-matched, ATLG-based HSCT (n = 311), we assessed the incidence of acute GVHD, GVHD-related mortality and relapse, as well as other transplant-related outcomes, in relation to the respective ALC (divided into tertiles) before ATLG. Results: The top-tertile ALC group had a significantly increased risk of aGVHD (subhazard ratio (sHR) 1.81; [CI 95%; 1.14-2.88]; p = 0.01) and aGVHD-associated mortality (sHR 1.81; [CI 95%; 1.03-3.19]; p = 0.04). At the highest ATLG dose level (≥45 mg/kg), recipients with lowest-tertile ALC had a trend towards increased relapse incidence (sHR 4.19; [CI 95%; 0.99-17.7]; p = 0.05, n = 32). Conclusions: ATLG dosing based on the recipient's ALC may be required for an optimal balance between GVHD suppression and relapse prevention.

Corticosteroids as graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with calcineurin inhibitor intolerance

Background aimsAlthough calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have a well-established role in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), their use can be limited by significant toxicities, which may result in premature treatment discontinuation. The optimal management of patients with CNI intolerance is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of corticosteroids as GVHD prophylaxis for patients with CNI intolerance. MethodsThis retrospective single-center study included consecutive adult patients with hematologic malignancies who underwent myeloablative peripheral blood allogeneic HCT with anti-thymocyte globulin, CNI, and methotrexate GVHD prophylaxis in Alberta, Canada. Multivariable competing-risks regression was used to compare cumulative incidences of GVHD, relapse, and non-relapse mortality between recipients of corticosteroid versus continuous CNI prophylaxis, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was applied to compare overall survival, relapse-free survival (RFS) and moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD and RFS. ResultsAmong 509 allogeneic HCT recipients, 58 (11%) patients developed CNI intolerance and were switched to corticosteroid prophylaxis at median 28 days (range 1-53) after HCT. Compared with patients who received continuous CNI prophylaxis, recipients of corticosteroid prophylaxis had significantly greater cumulative incidences of grade 2-4 acute GVHD (subhazard ratio [SHR] 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–2.80, P = 0.024), grade 3–4 acute GVHD (SHR 3.22, 95% CI 1.55–6.72, P = 0.002), and GVHD-related non-relapse mortality (SHR 3.07, 95% CI 1.54–6.12, P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD (SHR 0.84, 95% CI 0.43–1.63, P = 0.60) or relapse (SHR 0.92, 95% CI 0.53–1.62, P = 0.78), but corticosteroid prophylaxis was associated with significantly inferior overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.77, 95% CI 1.20–2.61, P = 0.004), RFS (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.06–2.25, P = 0.024), and chronic GVHD and RFS (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04–2.05, P = 0.029). ConclusionsAllogeneic HCT recipients with CNI intolerance are at increased risks of acute GVHD and poor outcomes despite institution of corticosteroid prophylaxis following premature CNI discontinuation. Alternative GVHD prophylaxis strategies are needed for this high-risk population.

Associations of minor histocompatibility antigens with outcomes following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The role of minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAs) in mediating graft versus leukemia and graft versus host disease (GvHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is recognized but not well-characterized. By implementing improved methods for mHA prediction in two large patient cohorts, this study aimed to comprehensively explore the role of mHAs in alloHCT by analyzing whether (1) the number of predicted mHAs, or (2) individual mHAs are associated with clinical outcomes. The study population consisted of 2249 donor-recipient pairs treated for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome with alloHCT. A Cox proportional hazard model showed that patients with a class I mHA count greater than the population median had an increased hazard of GvHD mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.77, p = .046). Competing risk analyses identified the class I mHAs DLRCKYISL (GSTP), WEHGPTSLL (CRISPLD2), and STSPTTNVL (SERPINF2) were associated with increased GVHD mortality (HR = 2.84, 95% CI = 1.52, 5.31, p = .01), decreased leukemia-free survival (LFS) (HR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.27, 2.95, p = .044), and increased disease-related mortality (DRM) (HR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.5, 3.6, p = .008), respectively. One class II mHA YQEIAAIPSAGRERQ (TACC2) was associated with increased risk of treatment-related mortality (TRM) (HR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.75, 5.31, p = .02). WEHGPTSLL and STSPTTNVL were both present within HLA haplotype B*40:01-C*03:04 and showed a positive dose-response relationship with increased all-cause mortality and DRM and decreased LFS, indicating these two mHAs contribute to the risk of mortality in an additive manner. Our study reports the first large-scale investigation of the associations of predicted mHA peptides with clinical outcomes following alloHCT.

Abstract 643: Correlations of dietary fiber with intestinal microbiome and outcomes in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

Abstract Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) can be a curative therapy for patients with hematological malignancies. However, allo-HCT poses a significant risk for post-transplant mortality due to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is associated with loss of beneficial intestinal microbiota and decrease of microbial metabolites. In addition, dietary fiber can modulate the intestinal microbiome and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are microbial metabolites associated with intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, we hypothesized that a high-fiber diet is associated with an increase of beneficial commensals, higher concentrations of SCFAs, and decreased risk of GVHD. Methods: We collected dietary data and fecal samples from 73 allo-HCT patients (GVHD n=45, No-GVHD n=28) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, collected longitudinally throughout the allo-HCT course, and performed 16s rRNA, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (n=311). We assessed the α-diversity, microbiome composition, and concentrations of fecal SCFAs in response to fiber intake. We also tested different concentrations of dietary fiber (0%, 6%, 12% and 40%) in a preclinical GVHD model (C57BL/6J into BALB/c, n=30 per group, n=180 total) and assessed GVHD lethality and fecal microbial composition. Results: We found that in allo-HCT patients, fiber intake significantly correlated with microbial α-diversity (R=0.3, p=0.01) and patients with a higher fiber diet had a significantly higher microbial α-diversity when compared to the low fiber cohort (p&amp;lt;0.001). Remarkably, the decrease in dietary fiber post-allo-HCT correlated with a significant reduction in the fecal concentrations of SCFAs in the GVHD group (n=14), butyrate (p=0.003), propionate (p=0.01), and acetate (p=0.004), that was not significant in the No-GVHD cohort (n=28), indicating that low dietary fiber could lead to lower production of bacterial metabolites in GVHD. In addition, mice receiving a fiber-rich diet (12%) had a significant reduction in GVHD lethality (p=0.02) compared to mice receiving lower or higher fiber (0%, 6%, 40%). A 12% fiber diet also resulted in higher microbial α-diversity (p=0.02) and a significant decrease in Enterococcus faecalis (p=0.05), a pathogen associated with worse GVHD mortality in mice and humans. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that a) higher fiber intake in patients after allo-HCT is associated with an increase in α-diversity and SCFA concentrations, and b) optimal fiber consumption in pre-clinical GVHD models leads to an increase in α-diversity, a decrease in pathogen mono-domination, and more importantly, a decrease in GVHD lethality. These results suggest that dietary fiber could be used in the prevention of GVHD. Citation Format: Jenny Paredes, Peter Adintori, Anqi Dai, Ruben J. Faustino Ramos, Teng Fei, Harold Elias, Marina Burgos da Silva, Romina Ghale, Charlotte Pohl, Justin Cross, Oriana Miltiadous, Marcel van den Brink. Correlations of dietary fiber with intestinal microbiome and outcomes in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 643.

Total Body Irradiation Versus Chemotherapy Conditioning in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is indicated in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have relapsed or are at a very high risk of relapse during first complete remission. Two types of myeloablative conditioning are employed before allogeneic HSCT: total body irradiation (TBI)-based regimens and chemotherapy (CHT) alone. This study compares the efficacy and safety of TBI-based regimens and CHT-based conditioning in pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with ALL (0-24 years old). TBI-based and CHT-conditioning regimens were evaluated in 4262 and 1367 patients, respectively, from 15 studies. Compared to CHT alone, TBI-based regimens were associated with better overall survival (OS), relative risk (RR) 1.21, better event-free survival (RR 1.34), and a reduced risk of relapse (RR 0.69). Both approaches had comparable risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), grades 3 to 4 acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). In the subgroup analysis for patients in first complete remission, TBI-based regimens and CHT alone had comparable OS and NRM. Our results demonstrate the superiority of TBI-based regimens compared to CHT alone in pediatric patients with ALL.

Clinical Benefit of Low-Dose Antithymocyte Globulin-Thymoglobulin as Graft-versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis in Patients Receiving Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation from HLA-Identical Donors

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Previous randomized studies have already shown that several types of antihuman T-lymphocyte immune globulin (ATG) as GVHD prophylaxis can reduce the incidence of acute GVHD and chronic GVHD. However, the efficacy and safety of PBSCT from human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical donors with low-dose ATG remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the efficacy and safety of PBSCT from HLA-identical donors with low-dose ATG compared to PBSCT from HLA-identical donors without ATG. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of allogeneic PBSCT from HLA-identical donors with low-dose ATG-thymoglobulin (ATG-T: 2.5 mg/kg) versus PBSCT without ATG-T. Patients' data were collected retrospectively from the medical records of Anjo Kosei Hospital. This study was conducted from 2009 to the final follow-up in October 2022. In total, 47 of 91 patients received ATG-T between January 2009 and March 2020. ATG-T reduced the incidence of moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.057-0.41, p < 0.0010) and non-relapse mortality (HR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.0058-0.75, p = 0.016) without increasing the risk of relapse. The overall survival did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, the low-dose ATG-T group had better moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD-free, relapse-free survival rates (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27-0.80, p = 0.0054) than the non-ATG-T group. In addition, the multistate analysis revealed that the low-dose ATG-T group had better current GVHD-free, relapse-free survival at 24 months after transplantation than the non-ATG group (45% [95% confidence interval, CI: 29%-63%) and 21% (95% CI: 9.1%-34%)], respectively, p = 0.015). Low-dose ATG-T did not increase the incidence of infections and adverse events. Low-dose ATG-T could be beneficial for patients receiving PBSCT from HLA-identical donors.

Abstract B121: HLA-mismatched unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide improves clinical outcomes for racial and ethnic minority patients with hematologic malignancies

Abstract Introduction: Racial and ethnic disparities exist in three areas related to hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT): donor availability, access, and post-HCT outcomes. A significant barrier to access to HCT for patients (pts) of racial or ethnic minorities (REM) is the limited availability of fully matched donors (i.e., grafts matched at HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 loci) in volunteer registries. While mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) grafts (i.e., &amp;lt;7/8 match) can be offered to pts without matched donors, MMUD HCT results in poor survival when traditional graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis (PPx) is used. GVHD PPx with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is associated with favorable survival after haploidentical HCT, and promising outcomes have been reported in a prospective multicenter study utilizing PTCy in MMUD HCT. Herein, we analyzed the outcomes of an ethnically diverse cohort of pts who underwent MMUD HCT with PTCy at two large urban transplant centers. Objectives and Methods: Subjects receiving HCT from an MMUD from 2010-to 2020 at the University of Miami and Memorial Sloan-KetteringCancer Center were included. Pts were stratified by age, HCT indication, race/ethnicity, graft type, conditioning intensity, disease status, and degree of HLA mismatch. The primary study endpoint was one-year overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were event-free survival (EFS), non-relapse mortality (NRM), and cumulative incidence of acute and chronic GVHD. Results: A total of 82 pts were evaluated. The median age at HCT was 60 years (21-75), the most common indication for HCT was acute leukemia (51%), 41% of pts received an ablative conditioning regimen, and 50% received peripheral blood (PB) grafts. Forty-four percent identified as non-Hispanic white (NHW), and 56% identified as REM (Non-Hispanic Black: 30%; Hispanic: 64%; Asian/Pacific: 4.3%). The two groups (NHW vs. REM) were well-matched for leading HCT indication, disease-risk index, degree of mismatch, and disease status at HCT. REM pts were younger (median age at HCT 65 vs 56 years for NHW, p=0.001) and more likely to receive a PB graft (63% vs 40%, P = 0.04). One-year OS was 75%, EFS was 69%, and NRM was 16% for the entire cohort. Grade 3-4 acute GVHD at day 180 post-HCT was 15%, and one-year severe chronic GVHD was 9%. OS was comparable between 7/8-matched and highly-mismatched (&amp;lt;6/8) HCT recipients (75% vs. 76%, respectively; P &amp;gt;0.9). There were no differences in one-year OS (77% vs 74%, p = 0.9) and EFS (63% vs 72%, p = &amp;gt;0.9) between NHW and REM pts. Similarly, rates of acute (17% vs 13%, p = 0.5) and chronic GVHD (5.7% vs 11%, p = 0.5) were comparable between NHW and REM pts. Conclusion: PTCy resulted in encouraging clinical outcomes following MMUD HCT. Post-HCT OS, RFS, and GVHD rates were comparable between NHW and REM pts and those receiving 7/8 or highly mismatched grafts. Favorable post-HCT outcomes following MMUD with PTCy may increase HCT utilization and access for REM pts. Citation Format: Antonio M. Jimenez Jimenez, Sunil Iyer, Krishna Komanduri, Samantha Brown, Trent Wang, Stephanie Chinapen, Denise Pereira, Sean Devlin, Mark Goodman, Amer Beitinjaneh, Craig Sauter, Lazaros Lekakis, Miguel Angel Perales, Doris Ponce, Brian Shaffer. HLA-mismatched unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide improves clinical outcomes for racial and ethnic minority patients with hematologic malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B121.

Allogeneic Blood or Marrow Transplantation with Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide for Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma: The Importance of Graft Source

The use of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) for graft-versus host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis has revolutionized allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT), but there is limited published experience in peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL). We sought to assess outcomes in patients with PTCL who underwent alloBMT with PTCy. We reviewed the charts of all adult patients age ≥18 years who underwent alloBMT with nonmyeloablative conditioning and PTCy-based GVHD prophylaxis at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center between January 2004 and December 2020. Sixty-five patients were identified. The median age was 59 years (range, 24 to 75 years). Lymphoma histology included PTCL not otherwise specified (n=24), anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n=14), angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (n=7), enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (n=6), hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma (n=4), and others (n=10). Eleven patients were in first complete remission (17%); the remaining patients were in first partial remission or underwent salvage therapy to at least PR prior to transplantation. Forty-eight patients underwent alloBMT from a haploidentical related donor (74%), 10 from a fully matched donor (15%), and 7 from a mismatched unrelated donor (11%). All patients received fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and total body irradiation (TBI). The graft source was bone marrow (BM) in 46 patients (71%) and peripheral blood (PB) in 19 patients (29%); all patients in the BM cohort received 200 cGy TBI, and most patients in the PB cohort (15 of 19) received 400 cGy TBI. GVHD prophylaxis comprised PTCy, mycophenolate mofetil, and a calcineurin inhibitor or sirolimus. With a median follow-up of 2.8 years (range, 290 days to 14.2 years), the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) for the entire cohort was 49% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38% to 64%), and the 2-year overall survival (OS) was 55% (95% CI, 44% to 69%). Outcomes were significantly improved in those receiving PB compared to those receiving BM, including a 2-year PFS of 79% (95% CI 63% to 100%) versus 39% (95% CI, 27% to 56%), 2-year OS of 84% (95% CI, 69% to 100%) versus 46% (95% CI, 33% to 63%), and 1-year cumulative incidence of relapse of 5% (95% CI, 0 to 16%) versus 33% (95% CI, 19% to 46%), with no difference in GVHD and nonrelapse mortality. AlloBMT with PTCy is safe and well-tolerated in patients with PTCL. Our data suggest that increasing the TBI dose to 400 cGy and using PB allografts may offer improved disease control and better survival outcomes, though additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.

1281: EXTRACELLULAR MITOCHONDRIA EXACERBATE GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE MORTALITY IN A MOUSE MODEL

Introduction: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Previous studies have shown an association between pre-transplant conditioning mediated tissue damage and incidence of GVHD, albeit the pathobiology is not clearly delineated. Recent studies have shown that tissue damage mediates release of extracellular mitochondria (exMito) and associated byproducts, which have immunomodulatory functions due to their archaebacterial origin. However, the role of exMito in the pathogenesis of GVHD has not been explored. Methods: Intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) were subjected to doses of irradiation used as pre-transplant conditioning. Subsequently, changes in intracellular and extracellular mitochondrial quantity and function were evaluated. BALB/c mice were subjected to total body irradiation (TBI) and plasma was analyzed to evaluate the quantity and function of circulating exMito. Finally, BALB/c mice undergoing a MHC-mismatched allogeneic HSCT were co-transplanted with exogenous isolated syngeneic mitochondria to study the impact of exMito on GVHD mortality. Results: Seahorse XF flux assays revealed that irradiation impaired intracellular mitochondrial function with a decrease in basal, ATP-linked and maximal respiratory capacity in Caco-2 cells. Analyses of the cell-culture supernatant showed elevated exMito and increased oxidative mitochondrial protein modification (carbonylation), following irradiation. BALB/c mice which received TBI demonstrated morphological signs of mitochondrial fission and damage in intestinal epithelium along with an increase in the amount of exMito in the plasma. In addition, exMito isolated from the plasma of irradiated animals had a markedly diminished response to pyruvate/malate-dependent-induction of mitochondrial membrane potential suggestive of damage. Finally, recipient mice co-transplanted with damaged cell-free mitochondria in a MHC-mismatched allogeneic HSCT demonstrated dose-dependent increased GVHD-induced mortality. Conclusions: The results indicate that conditioning regimen-mediated extracellular release of damaged mitochondria plays a role in GVHD mortality. Future studies targeting therapies to preserve mitochondrial function and decrease extracellular mitochondrial load for GVHD management is warranted.