Posttransplantation cyclophosphamide mediates effective reconstitution of memory B cells after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVES

Impaired B-cell reconstitution after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Therefore, methods to consistently achieve effective B cell lymphogenesis are required. We assessed the long-term effects of posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) use on immune reconstitution in clinical settings, an emerging strategy to suppress allogeneic immunological inflammation early after allo-HCT and prevent subsequent GVHD.

METHODS

We comprehensively analyzed peripheral immune cell subsets and measured serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) or cytokine levels in 39 patients who survived for >1 year after allo-HCT.

RESULTS

The absolute counts of B1 and IgM memory B cells were significantly lower in patients with severe cGVHD than in those without. The absolute count and percentage (among total CD19+ B cells) of switched memory B cells and serum IgG levels were significantly higher in patients transplanted with PTCy than in those transplanted with conventional GVHD prophylaxis. Interestingly, increased percentages of switched memory B cells and serum IgG levels were observed only in patients transplanted with PTCy and not in those transplanted with umbilical cord blood.

CONCLUSIONS

PTCy administration can mediate favorable memory B-cell reconstitution long after allo-HCT and may therefore suppress cGVHD.