A preliminary analysis of the balance between Th1 and Th2 cells after CD34+ cell-selected autologous PBSC transplantation

• Published in: Cytotherapy (Oxford, England) Vol. 6; no. 4; pp. 337 - 343
• Main Authors: Endo, T., Sato, N., Koizumi, K., Nishio, M., Fujimoto, K., Yamamoto, S., Sakai, T., Bohgaki, T., Sawada, K., Koike, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.08.2004; Informa UK Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens, CD34 - metabolism; autologous PBSC transplantation; CD34; Female; Flow Cytometry; Graft Rejection; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - blood; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Myeloma - blood; Multiple Myeloma - therapy; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; positive selection; Scleroderma, Systemic - blood; Scleroderma, Systemic - therapy; Th1; Th1 Cells - metabolism; Th1 Cells - pathology; Th2; Th2 Cells - metabolism; Th2 Cells - pathology; Transplantation, Autologous; autologous PBSC transplantation; positive selection; Th1; CD34; Th2
• ISSN: 1465-3249; 1477-2566
• DOI: 10.1080/14653240410004907

CD34+ cell-selected autologous PBSC transplantation (CD34+ APBSCT) is a procedure used for the treatment of patients with malignant disease that is intended to eliminate residual tumor cells from autologous grafts. However, frequent infectious complications after CD34+ APBSCT can occur. A delay of recovery of the absolute number ofCD4+ T cells after transplantation was reported to be one disadvantageous factor. As data on T-cell function after CD34+ APBSCT are scanty, we analyzed changes in T-helper cell 1 (Th1) and T-helper cell 2 (Th2) after CD34+ APBSCT to evaluate immune reconstitution. Twelve patients underwent APBSCT (CD34+ APBSCT group, n=4, and unselected APBSCT, n=8). Peripheral blood (PB) samples were obtained at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after the transplantation. The dynamics of the Th1 and Th2 were analyzed at a single-cell level, using flow cytometry. In the CD34+ APBSCT group, not only the absolute count ofCD4+ T cells but also the proportion of Th1 cells in CD4 T cells and the ratio of Th1 to Th2 after transplantation were significantly decreased at 2 and 4 weeks after transplantation compared with findings in the unselected APBSCT group. We suggest that higher rates of infectious complications after CD34+ APBSCT may be due to the inability of residual T cells from the CD34+ cell selection to generate mature T cells that function adequately against infection. Although further study would be required, our preliminary data provide some information on the immune reconstitution after CD34+ APBSCT and differentiation of T lymphocytes into Th1 and Th2 in vivo.