title: Early recovery of aggressive cytotoxic cells and improved immune resurgence with post-transplant immunotherapy for multiple myeloma.
abstract: A phase I/II trial evaluated early administration and dose escalation of interleukin (IL)-2 with granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) post-transplant. Following melphalan (200 mg/m(2)) and an autologous transplant, IL-2 was initiated (day 0) and continued for 4 weeks. GM-CSF (250 mcg/m(2)/day) began on day 5. Fifteen of 19 patients completed therapy. No treatment-related deaths occurred. IL-2 (1 x 10(6) IU/m(2)/day) was not tolerated in two of six patients due to > or =grade 3 fatigue/diarrhea (n=1) or supraventricular tachycardia (n=1). The maximum tolerated dose of IL-2 was 6 x 10(5) IU/m(2)/day; this dose was well tolerated by 11 of 13 patients. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment occurred on day 13 (median; range 10-17 days) and day 13 (median; range 0-74 days), respectively. When compared to control patients, there was a marked increase in the number of CD3+ T cells (P=0.005), CD4+ T cells (P=0.01), CD8+ T cells (P=0.001) and CD4+CD25+Treg cells (P=0.015) post-transplant. Cytotoxicity directed against myeloma cells was markedly increased when compared to control patients (P=0.017). This unique trial design using early administration of IL-2 with GM-CSF during the period of lymphodepletion, demonstrated a marked increase in the number and function of early cytotoxic effector T cells, without suppression of engraftment.
authors.affiliation: Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth Medical School and the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. Kenneth.R.Meehan@hitchcock.org
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bengtson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szczepiorkowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ernstoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / Q000379:methods; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor