Transplantation with higher dose of natural killer cells associated with better outcomes in terms of non-relapse mortality and infectious events after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched sibling donors.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the role of the CD56+ natural killer (NK) cell dose on the outcome of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Recently, higher dose of NK cells has been associated with a lower incidence of severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The current study attempted to evaluate the effect of the NK cell dose on transplant outcomes in allogeneic PBSCT setting.


METHODS
Sixty-one cytokine mobilized PBSC recipients were analyzed according to the infused dose of CD34+ cells and NK cells in relation to overall survival (OS), non-relapse mortality (NRM), GVHD, and infectious events.


RESULTS
The group received a higher dose of NK cells (> or =5 x 10(7)/kg) showed a lower incidence of NRM (P = 0.0186) and infectious events (P = 0.0107). In a multivariate analysis, a higher dose of NK cells was correlated to better transplant outcomes for NRM (P = 0.042) with CD34+ cell dose (P = 0.018), and for infectious events (P = 0.013) with CD34+ cell dose (P = 0.016). Higher NK cell infusion group also showed a faster immune recovery in serial measurements at days +90, +180, and +365.


CONCLUSIONS
High dose of NK cells may play an important role in improving transplant outcomes, in terms of reducing NRM and infectious events together with CD34+ cells.
Kim
Dong Hwan
DH
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduk 2-ga, Jung-Gu, Daegu 700-721, Korea.
Sohn
Sang Kyun
SK
Lee
Nan Young
NY
Baek
Jin Ho
JH
Kim
Jong Gwang
JG
Won
Dong Il
DI
Suh
Jang Soo
JS
Lee
Kyu Bo
KB
Shin
Im Hee
IH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D015994:Incidence; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards; D012038:Regeneration; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D035781:Siblings; D015996:Survival Rate; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018952:Antigens, CD34