title: Decrease of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells and TGF-beta at early immune reconstitution is associated to the onset and severity of graft-versus-host disease following allogeneic haematogenesis stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a frequent and life threatening complication of allogeneic haematogenesis stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). The correlation of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the patients after aHSCT to the occurrence and severity of acute and chronic GVHD (aGVHD and cGVHD) is not fully investigated. Here, we examined the levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs by assessment of CD4(+)CD25(high) and CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low) in peripheral blood, and the levels of serum TGF-beta and TNF-alpha in 56 patients at early immune reconstitution following aHSCT. Our data showed a significant reduction in the frequency of Tregs in patients with grades II-IV aGVHD and extensive cGVHD compared to healthy controls. Moreover, a decreased level of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs was correlated to increased severity of GVHD. The levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs in non-GVHD groups were however significantly higher than that in healthy controls. A significant decrease in the levels of TGF-beta and a significant increase the levels of TNF-alpha was also seen with increased severity of GVHD. This study suggested that measurement of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs along with serum TGF-beta and TNF-alpha at early immune reconstruction after aHSCT may indicate the onset and severity of both aGVHD and cGVHD.
authors.affiliation: The Central Laboratory of Medical Research Center in the Affiliated Anhui Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Xiucai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Aimei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huilan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liangquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Yiping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta