title: CD161(+) T cells as predictive markers for acute graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: CD161 is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein with characteristics of the C-type lectin superfamily, which has recently been shown to promote T cell expansion. In this study, the role of T cells expressing CD161 as a predictor for the occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) was investigated. Sixty-one patients who underwent first allogeneic SCT were enrolled. At engraftment, the expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD161, CD16, and CD56 was analyzed by flow cytometry. After adjusting for potential variables by univariate analysis, we performed a multivariate analysis, which revealed a low frequency of CD8(+)CD161(+) cells (P = .034) and a high ratio of CD4(+)CD161(+) to CD8(+)CD161(+) cells (P = .001) were associated with the occurrence of aGVHD with a grade of ≥ II. Moreover, the frequency of CD8(+)CD161(+) T cells was negatively correlated with aGVHD grade. A separate analysis for visceral aGVHD showed similar results, with a low frequency of CD8(+)CD161(+) T cells (P = .031) or a high ratio of CD4(+)CD161(+) to CD8(+)CD161(+)cells (P < .001), indicating a high risk. Also, the predictive role of serum IL-17 levels for the occurrence of aGVHD was identified, and RORγT was more highly expressed in CD4(+)CD161(+) T cells than in CD8(+)CD161(+) T cells after allogeneic SCT (P = .032). Although our study was limited by the heterogeneity and small number of patients, these results suggest that the CD8(+) subset of CD161(+) T cells may have regulatory effects and that they provide a basis for predicting the occurrence of aGVHD after allogeneic SCT.
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Sik
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Seong
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Je
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-Goo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: ckmin@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chang-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064591:Allografts; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000097:blood*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020381:Interleukin-17; C527203:KLRB1 protein, human; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B
keywords: Acute graft-versus-host disease; Allogeneic stem cell transplantation; CD161(+) T cells; Th17