title: Correlation of the CD4+CD25high T-regulatory cells in recipients and their corresponding donors to acute GVHD.
abstract: Graft-versus-host disease continues to be a major life-threatening complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (aHSCT). The relationship of acute GVHD (aGVHD) with the levels of peripheral CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in patients after aHSCT and in their corresponding donors is not fully investigated. We examined the levels of CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in patients after aHSCT and in their corresponding donors, and analyzed the relationship of CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells to the incidence and prognosis of aGVHD. The recipients with normal or high CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells (three of eight, 37.5%) had no or mild aGVHD (grade I), and all survived during the follow-up period. In striking contrast, the recipients with lower or no CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells suffered from greater than grade II aGVHD (four of four, 100%), and all died within 1-year post-aHSCT. Moreover, the number of CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in recipients correlated significantly with that of their corresponding donors. The CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells from the recipients and their corresponding donors expressed high levels of Foxp3, and effectively suppressed the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) responder T cells. This study suggests that human Treg cells may play an important role in aGVHD, as has been seen in murine models. The levels of peripheral CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in recipients and donors could be helpful for predicting of the onset and outcome of aGVHD.
authors.affiliation: The Center of Stem Cell Research and Therapy in the Affiliated Anhui Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, China.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Zimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Aimei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huilan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiucai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Liangquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Shilian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yiping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit