Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Inborn Errors of Immunity Other than Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Japan: Retrospective Analysis for 1985-2016

Oral Mucositis and Nutritional Status in Children Who Underwent Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Comparison Between Nonmalignant and Malignant Primary Diseases

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of studies analyzing the association between oral mucositis (OM) and nutritional imbalance in children during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The aim of this study was to compare the risk factors for OM and nutritional imbalance during HSCT in pediatric patients with nonmalignant diseases (NMD) and malignant diseases (MD).

METHODS

Data on age, sex, primary disease, transplantation type, conditioning regimen, GVHD prophylaxis, gastrointestinal toxicity, OM, percent body weight loss or gain, nutritional repositioning, and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively collected from the 132 medical records. The data were then compared between patients with NMD (n = 70) and MD (n = 62).

RESULTS

OM had a similar severity between the groups. The primary risk factor for OM in the NMD group was the conditioning regimen with busulfan, while in the MD group it was GVHD prophylaxis with cyclosporin and methotrexate. OM did not have an impact on body weight loss or gain in any of the groups. In the NMD, body weight gain due to fluid overload was more pronounced and associated with a lower age range. OS was similar between the groups and was not affected by OM.

CONCLUSIONS

OM pattern was similar in pediatric patients with or without MD, but the factors that determined these oral lesions were different. There were disparities in body weight changes between the two groups, and these changes were not associated to OM.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic cell Transplantation Using Alemtuzumab in Asian Patients with Inborn Errors of Immunity

Alemtuzumab is used with reduced-toxicity conditioning (RTC) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), demonstrating efficacy and feasibility for patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) in Western countries; however, the clinical experience in Asian patients with IEI is limited. We retrospectively analyzed patients with IEI who underwent the first allogeneic HCT with alemtuzumab combined with RTC regimens in Japan. A total of 19 patients were included and followed up for a median of 18 months. The donors were haploidentical parents (n = 10), matched siblings (n = 2), and unrelated bone marrow donors (n = 7). Most patients received RTC regimens containing fludarabine and busulfan and were treated with 0.8 mg/kg alemtuzumab with intermediate timing. Eighteen patients survived and achieved stable engraftment, and no grade 3-4 acute graft-versus-host disease was observed. Viral infections were observed in 11 patients (58%) and 6 of them presented symptomatic. The median CD4+ T cell count was low at 6 months (241/µL) but improved at 1 year (577/µL) after HCT. Whole blood cells continued to exhibit > 80% donor type in most cases; however, 3/10 patients exhibited poor donor chimerism only among T cells and also showed undetectable levels of T-cell receptor recombination excision circles (TRECs) at 1 year post-HCT. This study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab; however, patients frequently developed viral infections and slow reconstitution or low donor chimerism in T cells, emphasizing the importance of monitoring viral status and T-cell-specific chimerism. (238 < 250 words).

Progress in the field of hematopoietic stem cell-based therapies for inborn errors of immunity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Hematopoietic stem cell-based therapies, including allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and autologous gene therapy (GT), have been used as curative therapy for many inborn errors of immunity (IEI). As the number of genetically defined IEI and the use of HCT and GT increase, valuable data on outcomes and approaches for specific disorders are available. We review recent progress in HCT and GT for IEI in this article.

RECENT FINDINGS

Novel approaches to prevention of allogeneic complications and experience in adolescents and young adults have expanded the use of HCT. Universal newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) has led to improved outcome after HCT. Analysis of outcomes of HCT and GT for SCID, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) and chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) reveal risk factors for survival, the impact of specific conditioning regimens, and vector- or disease-specific impacts on efficacy and safety. Preclinical studies of GT and gene editing show potential for translation to the clinic.

SUMMARY

Emerging data on outcome after HCT for specific IEI support early evaluation and treatment, before development of co-morbidities. Data in large cooperative retrospective databases continues to yield valuable insights clinicians can use in patient selection and choice of therapy.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Activity in Inborn Errors of Immunity in Russian Federation

PURPOSE

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an established therapy for many inborn errors of immunity (IEI). The indications for HSCT have expanded over the last decade. The study aimed to collect and analyze the data on HSCT activity in IEI in Russia.

METHODS

The data were collected from the Russian Primary Immunodeficiency Registry and complemented with information from five Russian pediatric transplant centers. Patients diagnosed with IEI by the age of 18 years and who received allogeneic HSCT by the end of 2020 were included.

RESULTS

From 1997 to 2020, 454 patients with IEI received 514 allogeneic HSCT. The median number of HSCTs per year has risen from 3 in 1997-2009 to 60 in 2015-2020. The most common groups of IEI were immunodeficiency affecting cellular and humoral immunity (26%), combined immunodeficiency with associated/syndromic features (28%), phagocyte defects (21%), and diseases of immune dysregulation (17%). The distribution of IEI diagnosis has changed: before 2012, the majority (65%) had severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and after 2012, only 24% had SCID and HLH. Of 513 HSCTs, 48.5% were performed from matched-unrelated, 36.5% from mismatched-related (MMRD), and 15% from matched-related donors. In 349 transplants T-cell depletion was used: 325 TCRαβ/CD19+ depletion, 39 post-transplant cyclophosphamide, and 27 other. The proportion of MMRD has risen over the recent years.

CONCLUSION

The practice of HSCT in IEI has been changing in Russia. Expanding indications to HSCT and SCID newborn screening implementation may necessitate additional transplant beds for IEI in Russia.

Conditioning regimens for inborn errors of immunity: current perspectives and future strategies

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are caused by germline genetic mutations, resulting in defects of innate or acquired immunity. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is indicated for curative therapy especially in patients with IEI who develop fatal opportunistic infections or severe manifestations of immune dysregulation. The first successful HCT for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was reported in 1968. Since then, the indications for HCT have expanded from SCID to various non-SCID IEI. In general, HCT for IEI differs from that for other hematological malignancies in that the goal is not to eradicate certain immune cells but to achieve immune reconstitution. European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation/European Society for Immunodeficiencies guidelines recommend reduced-intensity conditioning to avoid treatment-related toxicity, and the optimal conditioning regimen should be considered for each IEI. We review conditioning regimens for some representative IEI disorders in Japanese and worldwide cohort studies, and future strategies for treating IEI.