Interferon gamma release assay has potential in the prediction of chronic graft-versus-host disease in recipients of myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis

Abstract

Background: The rate of immune reconstitution after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) plays the principal role in the development of serious post-transplant complications. However, the post-transplantation course has a significant impact on shaping the immune system of the recipient, per se, thus representing risk factors for subsequent unfavorable outcomes. The predictive power of an interferon gamma (IFNγ) release assay (IGRA) on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or hematological relapse in recipients of allo-HSCT treated with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide and the impact of these complications on the restoration of cellular immune responsiveness was evaluated.

Study design: A prospective observational study in which 62 adult patients with myeloid hematological malignancies who underwent allo-HSCT with a myeloablative conditioning regimen combined with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide were enrolled. Clinical data were collected and the IGRA was performed before commencement of the conditioning regimen and for 12 months post-allo-HSCT. Multivariate Cox regression and logistic regression models with backward stepwise analyses were used to calculate the predictive values for acute or chronic GVHD, or hematological relapse.

Results: Pre-transplantation and early post-transplantation IGRA values and other selected covariables (age, diagnosis, relapse risk, conditioning type, pre-T lymphocyte count, and donor sex), enabled prediction of the 12-month incidence of chronic GVHD with positive and negative predictive values of 75 % and 88 %, respectively. However, the IGRA did not improve the predictive value for acute GVHD or hematological relapse. Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) had a significantly lower pre-transplant IGRA value (p = 0.021) and a delayed IFNγ response in IGRA, post-HSCT, than patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (p = 0.015 and p = 0.0063 for 3 and 4 months post-HSCT, respectively).

Conclusions: The IGRA can be used to monitor the recovery of total cellular immunity, post-HSCT and it has shown potential for use in personalized post-transplantation care. In the multivariate backward stepwise logistic regression model, pre-and early post-transplantation IGRA values showed potential for predicting chronic GVHD. Patients with MDS had a significantly lower pre-transplantation IGRA value and delayed IFNγ response in IGRA, post-HSCT, than patients with AML.

Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Biomarker; GVHD prophylaxis; Graft-versus-host reaction; HSCT; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Interferon γ- release assay; Myelodysplasic syndrome; Relapse.