title: Separation of graft-versus-host disease from graft-versus-leukemia responses by targeting CC-chemokine receptor 7 on donor T cells.
abstract: CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is expressed on the surface of naive T cells, and plays a critical role in their movement into secondary lymphoid tissue. Here, we show that murine T cells lacking CCR7 (CCR7(-/-)) generate attenuated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) responses compared with wild-type (WT) cells, with the difference varying inversely with the degree of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) disparity between the donor and recipient. CCR7(-/-) T cells exhibited an impaired ability to traffic to recipient lymph nodes, with an increased capacity to home to the spleen. CCR7(-/-) T cells, however, demonstrated a reduced ability to undergo in vivo expansion in the spleen due to impaired interactions with splenic antigen-presenting cells. On a cellular level, CCR7(-/-) T cells were functionally competent, demonstrating a normal in vitro proliferative capacity and a preserved ability to produce inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, CCR7(-/-) T cells were capable of generating robust graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) responses in vivo, as well as complete donor T-cell reconstitution. CCR7(-/-) regulatory T cells were able to protect against lethal GVHD when administered before WT conventional T cells. Our data suggest that CCR7 inhibition in the early posttransplantation period may represent a feasible new therapeutic approach for acute GVHD attenuation without compromising GVL responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. jcoghill@unch.unc.edu
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Coghill
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panoskaltsis-Mortari
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Burgents
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Blazar
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Serody
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: C515371:Ccr7 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D054400:Receptors, CCR7