Chimerism in skin of bone marrow transplant recipients

Donor-derived human bone marrow cells contribute to solid organ cancers developing after bone marrow transplantation

Bone marrow-derived stem cells have been shown to participate in solid organ repair after tissue injury. Animal models suggest that epithelial malignancies may arise as aberrant stem cell differentiation during tissue repair. We hypothesized that if bone marrow stem cells participate in human neoplasia, then solid organ cancers developing after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) might include malignant cells of donor origin. We identified four male patients who developed solid organ cancers (lung adenocarcinoma, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, and Kaposi sarcoma) after myeloablation, total body irradiation, and ABMT from female donors. Donor-derived malignant cells comprised 2.5%-6% of the tumor cellularity The presence of donor-derived malignant cells in solid organ cancers suggests that human bone marrow-derived stem cells have a role in solid organ cancer's carcinogenesis. However, the nature of this role is yet to be defined.

In vitro adherence of lymphocytes to dermal endothelium under shear stress: implications in pathobiology and steroid therapy of acute cutaneous GVHD

The extravasation of leukocytes at sites of inflammation critically depends on initial shear-resistant adhesive interactions between leukocytes in blood flow and target tissue endothelium. Dermal lymphocytic infiltrates are a hallmark feature of acute cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (acGVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (allo-HSC) transplantation. These infiltrates occur commonly during periods of profound lymphopenia, suggesting that the dermal endothelial adhesive mechanism(s) promoting lymphocyte emigration in acGVHD are highly efficient. To examine this issue, we performed Stamper-Woodruff assays on frozen sections of biopsy specimens of cutaneous lesions occurring within 100 days of HSC transplantation in 22 autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT) and 25 allo-HSCT recipients. By using this shear-based assay, we observed lymphocyte adherence to papillary dermal vascular structures in all punch biopsy specimens of allo-HSCT recipients who had clinicohistologic evidence of acGVHD and who were not receiving steroids, whereas no lymphocyte adherence was observed within skin specimens from allo-HSCT recipients who did not develop acGVHD. Within the group of auto-HSCT recipients, 2 of 22 skin biopsies demonstrated lymphocyte binding to dermal vessels. Among allo-HSCT patients receiving steroid therapy for acGVHD, lymphocyte binding to dermal endothelium was abrogated prior to resolution of rash in those who responded, yet binding was persistent in skin from one patient whose rash did not respond to steroid therapy. Collectively, these data indicate that the papillary endothelium of skin in acGVHD displays heightened capacity to support lymphocyte adhesion under shear stress conditions and suggest that down-modulation of this endothelial adhesive capability may be one mechanism by which steroids abrogate acGVHD reactions.

An immunocytochemical study of MHC class I expression on human Langerhans cells and melanocytes

Classical MHC class I glycoproteins (HLA-A, B, and C) present endogenous cytosolic peptide antigen fragments to CD8-positive T-cells. CD8-positive T-cell recognition and destruction of virus-infected cells are dependent on adequate cellular MHC class I expression. Constitutive MHC class I expression is ubiquitous, but known to be deficient on specific differentiated cell types which include hepatocytes, neurones, chondrocytes and myocytes. Although enabling assessment of MHC class I expression on individual cells, limitations of immunocytochemistry were encountered with this assessment on Langerhans cells and melanocytes. These dispersed intraepidermal cells were obscured by adjacent keratinocytes in sections immunostained for MHC class I glycoproteins. Initiatives designed to resolve the issue have included immunoelectron microscopy, cell culture techniques, and animal bone marrow chimera models. Despite the elegance of these techniques, the issue of MHC class I expression on Langerhans cells and melanocytes remains unresolved. In this immunocytochemical study, an alternative strategy was based upon the recognized deficiency of epithelial MHC class I expression within pilosebaceous adnexal units. Langerhans cells and melanocytes were therefore studied within this microenvironment of deficient MHC class I expression, using monomorphic and polymorphic MHC markers. Langerhans cells and melanocytes were demonstrated within pilosebaceous units of scalp skin by immunocytochemistry. Differentiation markers OKT6 (CD1a) and TMH1 defined Langerhans cells and melanocytes, respectively. Monomorphic MHC markers W6/32 and TAL IB5 defined invariant epitopes of HLA class I and II, respectively. Polymorphic MHC class I markers defined the HLA-Bw4 and HLA-Bw6 supertypic determinants. Constitutive MHC class I expression was shown to be deficient on Langerhans cells and melanocytes.

Cellular composition of the spleen after human allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

The cellular composition of the spleen has been assessed in 18 patients who died 15-326 days after receiving allogeneic marrow for leukaemia. The white pulp showed marked lymphocyte depletion with no germinal centres, very few B cells, and rare plasma cells. The marginal zone was unrecognizable but there were moderate numbers of T cells in the periarteriolar lymphatic sheaths (PALS), showing great variation in CD4/CD8 ratio. The percentage of CD4+ cells decreased with time post transplant. CD8+ cells were reduced in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) who also showed no increase in cells staining for activation markers. No T cells were detected expressing immature phenotypes and no differences were detected between patients who received marrow purged or unpurged of T cells. Macrophage numbers appeared normal. Extramedullary haemopoiesis (EMH) was predominantly in the red pulp greater than 30 days after transplantation but more commonly in the white pulp before then. Pyknotic cells were common in seven cases and appeared to be associated with EMH rather than GvHD. Chimaeric studies demonstrated small numbers of donor cells in the PALS at 26 days and larger numbers at 56 days.

Reactivity of anti-HLA class I polymorphic monoclonal antibodies with normal human skin

In this work the reactivity of 16 monoclonal antibodies raised against different HLA class I specificities was tested with human skin of healthy donors of known HLA typing. By indirect immunofluorescence, six antibodies reacted strongly with keratinocytes carrying the corresponding alloantigens. The reactivity of 3 other antibodies which was weak or absent using indirect immunofluorescence, was enhanced by various amplification systems such as avidin-biotin-peroxidase method, biotin-streptavidin-fluorescein complex and especially preliminary trypsin treatment that revealed alloantigens masked in the epidermis. The immunostaining of 4 antibodies was negative regardless of the method used. Some of the antibodies we tested cross-reacted with cytoplasmic antigens of keratinocytes. This study has allowed to select a battery of monoclonal antibodies which can specifically detect alloantigens on keratinocytes and will be useful for the recognition the cell origin in allografting experiments.

The cellular composition of human lymph nodes after allogenic bone marrow transplantation: an immunohistological study

Using immunohistological techniques, the cellular composition of lymph nodes was assessed in 18 patients who had died 15 to 326 days after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia. The lymph nodes showed reduced cellularity of the cortex and paracortex, dilated sinuses and no lymphoid follicles. The majority of leucocytes were T lymphocytes with an inversion of the normal T4:T8 ratio. No cells were detected expressing immature cortical thymocyte antigens, using NA1/34 and OKT10, but an excess of T11 (E rosette receptor)+ cells over the sum of T4+, T8+ and HNK1+ cells raised the possibility of the presence of immature cells. B lymphocytes were extremely rare and present as clusters in only two patients. Despite this, plasma cells were prominent in many cases and their number increased with time post transplant. The predominant immunoglobulin heavy chain class was IgA in seven cases, IgG in three cases, IgM in two cases and IgE in one case with no relationship between dominant class and days post transplant. In patients with graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), there was a significantly lower T4:T8 ratio but no increase in expression of lymphocyte activation markers. Pyknotic leucocytes were present in half of the cases with GvHD and none of the other cases. No differences were detected in patients who had received marrow purged with monoclonal antibodies (Campath-I or UCHT1). Chimeric studies on three recipients of one haplotype matched marrow, using a monoclonal antibody specific for HLA-A2 and A28 antigens, showed a significant influx of donor cells by 56 days but this did not appear to be an immediate prelude to full morphological reconstitution.