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An unusual pattern of B‐cell immunological reconstitution after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: A possible correlation with CMV reactivation?
Author(s) -
Di Martino Daniela,
Terranova M. Paola,
Valetto Angelo,
Scarso Lucia,
Faraci Maura,
Lanino Edoardo,
Morreale Giuseppe
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
pediatric transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1399-3046
pISSN - 1397-3142
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2008.01107.x
Subject(s) - medicine , transplantation , stem cell , immunology , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
IR after HSCT is a slow process that involves several components of the immune response, and, in allogeneic setting, it can be delayed by GvHD and immuno‐suppressive therapy. Our study on IR post‐HSCT included a child with FA who underwent MUD transplantation. To evaluate B, T and NK cell reconstitution and to investigate the differentiation of B lymphocyte repertoire, this patient was carefully monitored at various time points by IgHCDR3 (third complementarity determining region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain) fingerprinting and by FACS analysis. IgHCDR3 fingerprinting showed a strong oligoclonality of IgM and IgG profiles from day +60 to +180 post‐transplant. CMV reactivation was present at the same time points and overlapped the clonal pattern shown in IgHCDR3 fingerprinting. Immunophenotype analysis showed early repopulation of T and NK cells following HSCT, whereas B cells increased first at one yr post‐transplant. The overlapping of virus reactivation and B‐cell clonal expansion seems to suggest that B lymphocytes may be involved in the CMV immunological response, at least in the early time points after HSCT when the immune repertoire is still reconstituting.