Origin and subset distribution of peripheral blood dendritic cells in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.
BACKGROUND
After allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, donor T cells interact with an antigen-presenting cell environment that is distorted in number, level of activation, and origin. The role of antigen presentation in the development of chronic graft-versus host disease (cGVHD) is unknown.


METHODS
The number and origin of peripheral blood immature myeloid (CD19- CD1c+) and plasmacytoid (BDCA-2+) dendritic cells (DCs) was determined in 30 patients at more than 100 days after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.


RESULTS
Patients with cGVHD had significantly higher plasmacytoid DC numbers than individuals without this complication (9.1+/-2.0 x 10(6)/L versus 3.8+/-0.6 x 10(6)/L, =0.025). Chimerism studies demonstrated that DCs in patients with cGVHD were exclusively of donor origin, whereas persistence of host DCs was observed in some control patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The antigen-presenting cell environment in patients with cGVHD, as represented by immature blood DCs, is of donor origin but distorted in terms of subset distribution.
Clark
Fiona J
FJ
Department of Haematology, Institute of Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Freeman
Lisa
L
Dzionek
Andrzej
A
Schmitz
Jürgen
J
McMullan
Dominic
D
Simpson
Peter
P
Mason
Joanne
J
Mahendra
Premini
P
Craddock
Charles
C
Griffiths
Mike
M
Moss
Paul A
PA
Chakraverty
Ronjon
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000032:analysis; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D018949:Antigens, CD1; D018941:Antigens, CD19; C437944:CD1C protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens