title: Both donor and recipient NOD2/CARD15 mutations associate with transplant-related mortality and GvHD following allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NOD2/CARD15 gene resulting in a diminished nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) response to bacterial cell wall products have been associated with an increased incidence of Crohn disease. To assess a possible contribution of NOD2/CARD15 mutations to graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and complications following allogeneic stem cell transplantation, we retrospectively typed DNA from donor/recipient pairs in 169 consecutive patients receiving transplants from related or unrelated donors. Mutated alleles were observed in 21% of patients and in 14% of donors. Cumulative incidence of 1-year, transplant-related mortality rose from 20% in donor/recipient pairs without mutated SNPs to 49% in pairs with recipient mutations (P =.03) and 59% in pairs with donor mutations (P <.005), and was highest in 12 pairs with mutated alleles in both donor and recipients (83%; P <.001). Similar associations were observed for severe overall and severe gastrointestinal GvHD. The impact of NOD2/CARD15 mutations was more prominent for HLA-identical sibling transplantations but was also observed in unrelated donor transplantation. Mutations proved to be independent risk factors for transplant-related mortality. Our findings indicate a major role of monocyte/macrophage dysfunction in the pathophysiology of GvHD and strongly suggest a future risk assessment or even donor selection through NOD2/CARD15 typing.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital of Regensburg, Germany. ernst.holler@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holler
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rogler
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herfarth
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brenmoehl
authors.forename: Peter Johannes
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eissner
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schölmerich
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andreesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D053473:Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C429018:NOD2 protein, human; D053473:Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein; D004247:DNA