Sehati N, Kokhaei P, Motevalizade Ardekani A, Tootoonchian R, Pak F
Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Cancer Research Center and Department of Immunology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Iran Biomed J. 2017 Nov;21(6):392-9. doi: 10.18869/acadpub.ibj.21.6.392. Epub 2017 Jun 19.
Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a strategy used for treatment of different malignant diseases. However, success of allo-HSCT can be hampered by graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). Natural killer (NK) cells may play an important role in activating antigen presenting cells and subsequent activation of T cells. The main purpose of this study was the evaluation of IL-21, as a blood biomarker, for early detection of acute GVHD (aGVHD) in children after HSCT and also the study of human leukocytes antigen (HLA)-C1 polymorphism, as a targeting ligand for NK cells in these patients.
Fifty one children receiving HSCT were studied. Blood samples were collected at -8, 7, and 14 days of transplantation. The -8-day samples were analyzed for HLA-C1 polymorphism by PCR-sequence-specific primer technique and pre-transplantation IL-21 assay. To study the serum levels of IL-21, two blood samples were collected on days +7 and +14 and analyzed by ELISA technique.
The results indicated that the incidence of aGVHD in pediatric is associated with a polymorphism of HLA-C1, as alleles HLA-C01:12 (P<0.001), HLA-C01:22 (P<0.004), and HLA-C01:67 (P<0.009). On the other hand, the serum levels of IL-21 in children with aGVHD were decreased after transplantation compared to before transplantation. The serum levels of the IL-21 at 14 days after transplantation had a significant correlation with the occurrence of aGVHD (P=0.05).
Based on the findings of this study, there is a significant correlation between HLA-C1 polymorphisms and the serum levels of IL-21 with the incidence of aGVHD.
异基因造血干细胞移植（HSCT）是用于治疗不同恶性疾病的一种策略。然而，移植物抗宿主病（GVHD）可能会阻碍异基因造血干细胞移植的成功。自然杀伤（NK）细胞可能在激活抗原呈递细胞以及随后激活T细胞中发挥重要作用。本研究的主要目的是评估作为血液生物标志物的白细胞介素-21（IL-21），用于早期检测造血干细胞移植后儿童的急性移植物抗宿主病（aGVHD），并研究人类白细胞抗原（HLA）-C1多态性，作为这些患者中NK细胞的靶向配体。
对51例接受造血干细胞移植的儿童进行了研究。在移植后的第-8、7和14天采集血样。通过聚合酶链反应-序列特异性引物技术和移植前IL-21检测，对第-8天的样本进行HLA-C1多态性分析。为了研究IL-21的血清水平，在第+7天和+14天采集两份血样，并通过酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）技术进行分析。
结果表明，儿童急性移植物抗宿主病的发生率与HLA-C1多态性相关，如等位基因HLA-C01:12（P<0.001）、HLA-C01:22（P<0.004）和HLA-C01:67（P<0.009）。另一方面，与移植前相比，急性移植物抗宿主病患儿移植后的IL-21血清水平降低。移植后14天的IL-21血清水平与急性移植物抗宿主病的发生有显著相关性（P=0.05）。
基于本研究的结果，HLA-C1多态性和IL-21血清水平与急性移植物抗宿主病的发生率之间存在显著相关性。
