Serum HLA class I antigen levels in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: a possible marker of acute GVHD.
The levels of serum HLA class I antigens were determined at weekly intervals up to 5 weeks in 46 patients who had undergone allogeneic BMT. In patients with GVHD grade I or with GVHD grade I and fever of unknown origin (FUO), serum HLA class I antigen levels did not change during the observation period. In patients with GVHD grade II-IV serum HLA class I antigen level significantly increased in the week before the onset of GVHD, was maximal at the onset of GVHD and then persisted unchanged in the following 2 weeks. In patients with GVHD grade I or GVHD grade II-IV and infections whose onset coincided with that of acute GVHD a significant increase of serum HLA class I antigen level was found 2 weeks after the onset of the infectious episode. An increase of serum HLA class I antigen level was also found before the onset of repetitive GVHD grade II-IV episodes as well as during and after infectious episodes whose onset occurred after the onset of acute GVHD. The mean +/- s.d. concentrations of serum HLA class I antigens during GVHD grade II-IV episodes (9.4 +/- 3.4 micrograms/ml) and 2 weeks after the onset of infectious episodes (7.1 +/- 1.6 micrograms/ml) are significantly (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) higher than that found 2 weeks before the onset of GVHD (3.0 +/- 0.5 micrograms/ml). The results of the present investigation suggest that measurement of serum HLA class I antigen level may be a possible marker to detect an acute GVHD following BMT.
Puppo
F
F
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Italy.
Brenci
S
S
Ghio
M
M
Bignardi
D
D
Contini
P
P
Bacigalupo
A
A
Van Lint
M T
MT
Scudeletti
M
M
Ferrone
S
S
Indiveri
F
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D015415:Biomarkers; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I