Autoantibody formation after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: Correlation with the reconstitution of CD5+ B cells and occurrence of graft-versus-host disease

• Published in: Pathology 1997-05, Vol.29 (2), p.184-188
• Main Authors: Chan, Eric Y.T., Lawton, John W.M., Lie, Albert K.W., Lau, C.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Autoantibodies; Autoantibodies - metabolism; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; bone marrow transplantation; Bone Marrow Transplantation - adverse effects; Bone marrow, stem cells transplantation. Graft versus host reaction; CD5 Antigens - metabolism; CD5+ B cells; Graft vs Host Disease - immunology; graft-versus-host disease; Humans; Medical sciences; Time Factors; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 0031-3025; 1465-3931
• DOI: 10.1080/00313029700169834

Manifestations of autoimmune diseases are common in patients who have received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Autoantibodies have been reported in these patients but the source and clinical significance of these autoantibodies are still obscure. In the present study the kinetics of autoantibody formation and the reconstitution of CD5+ B cells was followed in 21 patients who were submitted to allogeneic BMT. Anti-nuclear, anti-smooth muscle, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, anti-reticulin and rheumatoid factor were found at a frequency of 25%, 17%, 24%, 22% and 10% respectively after BMT. Anti-double stranded DNA levels were mildly elevated in 15% of samples. The screening for anti-extractable nuclear antigen, anti-mitochondrial, anti-gastric parietal cell, anti-proteinase III, anti-myeloperoxidase, anti-lactoferrin antibodies was negative. The percentage and absolute count of CD5+ B cells increased with time after allogeneic BMT. Those patients with anti-nuclear or anti-smooth muscle antibodies had significantly higher CD5+ B cell counts than those without these two antibodies. Correlations of CD5+ B cell counts with other autoantibodies were negative. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in eight of the patients and chronic GVHD in four patients, but the frequency of autoantibodies had no relationship with the occurrence of acute or chronic GVHD.