Do GWAS-Identified Risk Variants for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Influence Overall Patient Survival and Disease Progression?

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia among adults worldwide. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered the germline genetic component underlying CLL susceptibility, the potential use of GWAS-identified risk variants to predict disease progression and patient survival remains unexplored. Here, we evaluated whether 41 GWAS-identified risk variants for CLL could influence overall survival (OS) and disease progression, defined as time to first treatment (TTFT) in a cohort of 1039 CLL cases ascertained through the CRuCIAL consortium. Although this is the largest study assessing the effect of GWAS-identified susceptibility variants for CLL on OS, we only found a weak association of ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with OS (p < 0.05) that did not remain significant after correction for multiple testing. In line with these results, polygenic risk scores (PRSs) built with these SNPs in the CRuCIAL cohort showed a modest association with OS and a low capacity to predict patient survival, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.57. Similarly, seven SNPs were associated with TTFT (p < 0.05); however, these did not reach the multiple testing significance threshold, and the meta-analysis with previous published data did not confirm any of the associations. As expected, PRSs built with these SNPs showed reduced accuracy in prediction of disease progression (AUROC = 0.62). These results suggest that susceptibility variants for CLL do not impact overall survival and disease progression in CLL patients.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells as part of therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease: A phase I/II study

BACKGROUND AIMS

Despite the efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the procedure is still associated with high toxicity in patients with refractory graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a new mode of therapy in the context of allo-HSCT. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the use of adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AT-MSCs) in patients with chronic GvHD.

METHODS

Fourteen patients with moderate (n = 7) or severe (n = 7) chronic GvHD received 1 × 10⁶/kg (group A, n = 9) or 3 × 10⁶/kg (group B, n = 5) AT-MSCs with cyclosporine and prednisone as first-line therapy.

RESULTS

Ten of the 14 patients were able to continue under the protocol: 80% were in complete remission, and 100% were off of steroids at week 56. The remaining 4 patients either worsened from chronic GvHD (n = 3) or abandoned the study (n = 1). At the end of the study, 11 of 14 patients are alive (overall survival 71.4%, median survival of 45.3 weeks). No suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions occurred during the trial. Neither relapse of underlying disease nor mortality due to infection was observed in this cohort. Biological studies showed increased CD19, CD4 and tumor necrosis factor-α with a temporary decrease in natural killer cells.

DISCUSSION

AT-MSCs, in combination with immunosuppressive therapy, may be considered feasible and safe and likely would have an impact on the course of chronic GvHD. More studies are warranted to understand the potential benefits of AT-MSCs in these patients.

Transplantation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Patients Treated With Sirolimus and Cyclosporine as Salvage Therapy for Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Background: Transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is a rare complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Because sirolimus (SIR) and calcineurin inhibitor—either cyclosporine (CsA) or tacrolimus—have become more common as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, we are witnessing a higher frequency of this complication. Objective: To analyze the incidence, timing, and management of TA-TMA in patients who received the combination of CsA and SIR as therapy for uncontrolled GVHD in one single center. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis from February 2002 to June 2014 of the combination of SIR and CsA as salvage therapy in 61 patients with treatment-refractory or relapsed acute GVHD (n = 24) or chronic GVHD (n = 37) in a tertiary hospital. Results: A total of 61 patients received CsA and SIR as salvage therapy for acute (n = 16), late acute (n = 8), overlap syndrome (n = 22), or classic chronic (n = 15) GVHD. We identified 13 patients with TA-TMA (21.3%), and the status of GVHD was active in 11 of 13 patients. Only 1 patient showed high CsA levels, and 6 of 13 patients had very high concentrations of SIR in blood. We used an enzyme inducer in 6 patients, which proved effective in 3. Overall survival for TA-TMA patients was inferior compared to that for non TA-TMA patients at 12 months (42.9% vs 51.9%) and 24 months (34.3% vs 49.1%), although this difference was not significant. Conclusion: Prompt identification and good management of TA-TMA, with better control of GVHD, may contribute to a decrease in patient mortality that would result from this complication.

Paraneoplastic pemphigus with eosinophilic spongiosis and autoantibodies against desmocollins 2 and 3

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is an autoimmune blistering disease associated with neoplasms, typically lymphoproliferative disorders. PNP is characterized clinically by painful erosive stomatitis and polymorphous skin lesions. Histopathological findings are also very varied, and include lichen planus-like and pemphigus-like changes. These polymorphic clinicopathological findings are probably due to the complex pathogenic mechanism, in which both cellular and humoral immunity are implicated. Eosinophilic spongiosis, although infrequent, can be found with pemphigus herpetiformis and bullous pemphigoid, although this association has not been established in PNP. The presence of autoantibodies against envoplakin and periplakin in PNP has been reported, but autoantibodies against desmocollins (Dscs) have been found in only a very few cases of PNP, probably due to the lack of studies on such associations. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of PNP with eosinophilic spongiosis as the initial histopathological finding, and presence of autoantibodies to Dsc2 and Dsc3.

Macular lymphocytic arteritis: first clinical presentation with ulcers

Macular lymphocytic arteritis describes a recently reported entity, clinically characterized by asymptomatic hyperpigmented macules on the lower limbs, without association of systemic diseases. Histopathologically it is characterized by a lymphocytic arteritis with a hyalinized fibrin ring. We report a new case presenting with ulceration, a finding not previously described. A 25-year-old Hispanic woman was evaluated for a 1-year history of a gradually progressive, asymptomatic eruption that begins at level of both knees and progressively affects both legs and feet. She also referred recently appeared ulcers on inner right ankle without previous traumatism. Physical examination revealed multiple fairly well-defined light brown and faint pink patches with petechiae on as well as retiform crusts and livedoid lesions on inner right ankle. Both types of lesions were biopsied showing lymphocytic arteritis with fibrinoid necrosis and thrombus. There were no relevant laboratory alterations. The clinical peculiarity of our case is the clinical image of the lesions mimicking a pigmented purpuric dermatosis and the presence of a non-traumatic ulcer which could be explained because chronic lymphocytic damage may cause ischemic damage. Ulceration in our case supports consideration of macular arteritis as a latent form of cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa.

Ectodermal dysplasias: a clinical and molecular review

The ectodermal dysplasias are a large group of hereditary disorders characterized by alterations of structures of ectodermal origin. Although some syndromes can have specific features, many of them share common clinical characteristics. Two main groups of ectodermal dysplasias can be distinguished. One group is characterized by aplasia or hypoplasia of ectodermal tissues, which fail to develop and differentiate because of a lack of reciprocal signaling between ectoderm and mesoderm, the other has palmoplantar keratoderma as its most striking feature, with additional manifestations when other highly specialized epithelia are also involved. In recent decades, the genes responsible for at least 30 different types of ectodermal dysplasia have been identified, throwing light on the pathogenic mechanisms involved and their correlation with clinical findings.