title: Regulatory B10 cells display an altered homoeostasis in acute graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of B cells and the subgroup of IL-10 producing B cells, known to have a regulatory function, in patients following a haematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloSCT) has not been clearly understood to date.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively recruited 95 patients following an alloSCT and studied the B-cell reconstitution on days 30, 90 and 150. Regulatory B10 cells could be analysed in 22 consecutively recruited patients on day 30 post-transplant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total B-cell percentages in transplant recipients (median 0.33; range 0.01-5.9) were significantly reduced than the controls (P = 0.0001) and constituted predominantly of transitional CD24highCD38highB cells. Regulatory B10 cells could be analysed in 22 consecutively recruited patients on day 30 post-transplant. The percentages of B10 cells (median 1.35; 0.0-4.5) were significantly reduced in the transplant recipients in comparison with the control cohort (P < 0.0001). Interestingly, the percentages of B10 cells in patients with acute GvHD (median 1.7; 0.33-4.5) were significantly higher than those without GvHD (median 0.7; 0-1.9) (P = 0.0003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report demonstrating B10 cells in stem cell transplant recipients in the early post-alloSCT (30 d) period. Our data suggest a possible role for B10 cells in the pathophysiology of acute GvHD. Further longitudinal studies are warranted to understand the implications of our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Praxis Klinik for Haematology and Oncology, Koblenz, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Geothy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chakupurakal
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: María Alejandra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garcia-Marquez
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimabukuro-Vornhagen
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kluth
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1304-7719
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Theurich
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheid
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallek
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Holtick
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, Interventional Immunology Group, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.|Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Bergwelt-Baildon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: B cells; B10 cells; bone marrow transplantation; graft-versus-host disease; regulatory B cells