title: Autologous graft-versus-host disease after CD34+-purified autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation.
abstract: Autologous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has been frequently reported after cyclosporine A (CsA) administration in the autologous setting. This complication is related to the disruption of self-tolerance mechanisms induced by CsA and may exert an antitumor effect. We report the spontaneous occurrence of autologous GVHD after CD34+-purified peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (PBPCT) in 5 out of 24 consecutive patients (20.8%). The syndrome was characterized by skin rash (5/5), pruritus (5/5), eosinophilia (5/5), and fever (2/5) occurring at a median of 37 days (range 22-60) after transplantation. Diagnosis was confirmed by skin biopsy in all patients. The syndrome was self-limiting, lasted a median of 25 days, and did not require treatment. The rate of autologous GVHD was high after CD34+-purified autologous PBPCT. In fact, no autologous GVHD was documented in an historical control of 100 consecutive patients submitted to unmanipulated PBPCT at the same institution. The manipulation of the graft by the purging procedure causes a profound T lymphocyte depletion, thus possibly perturbing the equilibrium between autoregulatory cells and autocytotoxic T cells. These observations add new interest to the antitumor efficacy of autologous GVHD and suggest new questions regarding the role of transplantation for autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Semeiotica Medica-Divisione Ematologia, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. emacat@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiusolo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salutari
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Piccirillo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laurenti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sora
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: La Barbera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massi
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood*; D016465:Bone Marrow Purging / Q000009:adverse effects; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology; D005076:Exanthema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34