To investigate the characteristics and significance of reconstitution of peripheral blood plasmacytoid dendritic cell (PDC) precursors after allogeneic human leukocyte antigen mismatched/haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and its relationship with chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) and relapse, 19 patients with leukemia were enrolled for this study. Peripheral blood dendritic cell (DC) subsets of patients and healthy controls were detected by flow cytometry, and the correlations between reconstitution of DC and cGVHD, relapse were analyzed. The results showed that compared with healthy subjects, patients with leukemia had a significantly decreased proportion and absolute number of myeloid dendritic cell (MDC), MDC1, DC and the ratio of MDC/PDC (P<0.05). There were not statistically different in MDC2 and PDC between patients and healthy subjects. After transplant, all the proportion of WBC and absolute numbers of DC reached to healthy controls levels at 9 months (P>0.05), besides the proportion of PDC which reached to healthy controls levels at 1 year (P=0.494). Compared with levels before relapse, the proportions of MDC1, MDC, DC and the ratio of MDC/PDC were lower, but proportions of MDC2 and PDC were slightly higher after relapse. Patients with a 'high' PDC recovery profile had an improved cumulative incidence of cGVHD in contrast to patients with a 'low' PDC recovery profile on day 120 after transplantation (P=0.007). It is concluded that compared with healthy subjects, de novo leukemia patients have a significantly decreased proportion and absolute number of DC and the ratio of MDC/PDC before haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; while ratio of MDC/PDC can be normalized with relative rapidity, the proportions of all DC subsets reached to normal levels on the whole at 9 months after transplantation, and also recovery level of DCs is correlated with occurrence of cGVHD and relapse.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; therapy ; Child ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Graft vs Leukemia Effect ; HLA Antigens ; immunology ; Haplotypes ; immunology ; Histocompatibility ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myeloid Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Plasma Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To distinguish lupus flare-up from infection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we analyze the expression of circulating CD27(high) plasma cells in SLE patients with and without infection, in comparison to non-SLE patients with infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The percentage of circulating CD27(high) plasma cells was measured by flow cytometry in the following four groups: 36 SLE patients without infection, 23 SLE patients with infection, eight non-SLE patients with infection, and 26 healthy controls. RESULTS: The frequency of CD27(high) plasma cells had a correlation with the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r = 0.866, p < 0.05), level of anti-dsDNA (r = 0.886, p < 0.05), C3 (r = - 0.392, p < 0.05), and C4 (r = - 0.337, p < 0.05) in SLE patients without infection, but there was no correlation with disease activity in SLE patients with infection. Among three groups in particular-SLE without infection, SLE with infection, and non-SLE with infection-the percentages of CD27(high) plasma cells were elevated. The percentage of CD27(high) plasma cells was higher in SLE patients with infection, when compared to SLE patients without infection. CONCLUSION: The percentage of CD27(high) plasma cells is a biomarker for disease activity of SLE without infection, under correlation with SLEDAI, anti-dsDNA, and C3 and C4 level. However, when the SLE patients have an infection, the percentage of CD27(high) plasma cells is not an adequate biomarker for the survey of disease activity. The percentage of CD27(high) plasma cells may serve as a potential parameter to distinguish a lupus flare-up from infection.
Adult ; Antigens, CD27/*biosynthesis ; Bacterial Infections/complications ; Biological Markers/metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Flow Cytometry/methods ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*blood/immunology ; Male ; Plasma Cells/cytology/*immunology ; Virus Diseases/complications