Dataset Information

A randomized phase II study to evaluate tacrolimus in combination with sirolimus or methotrexate after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

ABSTRACT: There is evidence suggesting that sirolimus, in combination with tacrolimus, is active in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease. Sirolimus-based immune suppression may suppress alloreactive T cells, while sparing the survival and function of regulatory T cells.We conducted a randomized trial to compare the impact of sirolimus/tacrolimus against that of methotrexate/tacrolimus on the prevention of graft-versus-host disease and regulatory T-cell reconstitution.Seventy-four patients were randomized 1:1 to sirolimus/tacrolimus or methotrexate/tacrolimus, stratified for type of donor (sibling or unrelated) and the patients' age. The rate of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease at 100 days was 43% (95% CI: 27-59%) in the sirolimus/tacrolimus group and 89% (95% CI: 72-96%) in the methotrexate/tacrolimus group (P<0.001). The rate of moderate/severe chronic graft-versus-host disease was 24% (95% CI: 7-47%) in the sirolimus/tacrolimus group and 64% (95% CI: 41-79%) in the methotrexate/tacrolimus group (P=0.008). Overall survival and patient-reported quality of life did not differ between the two groups. On days 30 and 90 post-transplant, sirolimus-treated patients had a significantly greater proportion of regulatory T cells among the CD4(+) cells in the peripheral blood, and isolated regulatory T cells were functional.These data demonstrate that sirolimus/tacrolimus prevents grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease and moderate-severe chronic graft-versus-host disease more effectively than does methotrexate/tacrolimus, and supports regulatory T-cell reconstitution following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

SUBMITTER: Pidala J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3590095 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A randomized phase II study to evaluate tacrolimus in combination with sirolimus or methotrexate after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Pidala Joseph J Kim Jongphil J Jim Heather H Kharfan-Dabaja Mohamed A MA Nishihori Taiga T Fernandez Hugo F HF Tomblyn Marcie M Perez Lia L Perkins Janelle J Xu Mian M Janssen William E WE Veerapathran Anandaraman A Betts Brian C BC Locke Frederick L FL Ayala Ernesto E Field Teresa T Ochoa Leonel L Alsina Melissa M Anasetti Claudio C

Haematologica 20120611 12

<h4>Background</h4>There is evidence suggesting that sirolimus, in combination with tacrolimus, is active in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease. Sirolimus-based immune suppression may suppress alloreactive T cells, while sparing the survival and function of regulatory T cells.<h4>Design and methods</h4>We conducted a randomized trial to compare the impact of sirolimus/tacrolimus against that of methotrexate/tacrolimus on the prevention of graft-versus-host disease and regulatory T-cell ...[more]

PMID: 22689677

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Project description:Although allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative therapy for hematologic neoplasms, one of its limiting toxicities continues to be graft-versus-host disease, both acute (aGVHD) and chronic (cGVHD). Sirolimus is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor that has proven effective in GVHD prophylaxis in combination with a calcineurin inhibitor, such as tacrolimus. The impact of sirolimus on immune reconstitution has not been comprehensively investigated in vivo thus far, however. Here we present an ancillary analysis of the randomized study BMT-CTN 0402 that examined the effect of sirolimus on immune subsets post-transplantation. We further examine the association between different lymphocyte subsets and outcomes post-transplantation in each arm. BMT-CTN 0402 was a randomized trial (n = 304) comparing 2 GVHD prophylaxis regimens, tacrolimus/sirolimus (Tac/Sir) and tacrolimus/methotrexate (Tac/MTX), in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing myeloablative HLA-matched HCT. There were no differences in 114-day GVHD-free survival (primary endpoint), aGVHD, cGVHD, relapse, or overall survival (OS) between the 2 arms. Of the 304 patients, 264 had available samples for the current immune reconstitution analysis. Blood samples were collected at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-HCT. Multiparameter flow cytometry was performed at the project laboratory (Esoterix Clinical Trials Services) in a blinded fashion, and results for the 2 arms were compared. Multivariable Cox regression models, treating each phenotypic parameter as a time-dependent variable, were constructed to study the impact of reconstitution on clinical outcomes. There were no significant differences in patient and transplantation characteristics between the Tac/Sir and Tac/MTX arms in this analysis. Absolute lymphocyte count and CD3+ cell, CD4+ cell, and conventional T cell (Tcon) counts were significantly decreased in the Tac/Sir arm for up to 3 months post-HCT, whereas CD8+ cells recovered even more slowly (up to 6 months) in this arm. Interestingly, there was no clear difference in the absolute number of regulatory T cells (Tregs, defined as CD4+CD25+ cells) between the 2 arms at any point post-HCT; however, the Treg:Tcon ratio was significantly greater in the Tac/Sir arm in the first 3 months after HCT. B lymphocyte recovery was significantly compromised in the Tac/Sir arm from 1 month to 6 months after HCT, whereas natural killer cell reconstitution was not affected in the Tac/Sir arm. In the outcomes analysis, higher numbers of CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and Tregs were associated with better OS. Neither Treg numbers nor the Treg:Tcon ratio was correlated with GVHD. Our findings indicate that Tac/Sir has a more profound T cell suppressive effect than the combination of Tac/MTX in the early post-transplantation period, and particularly compromises the recovery of CD8+ T cells, which have been implicated in aGVHD. Sirolimus used in vivo with tacrolimus does not appear to result in increased absolute numbers of Tregs, but might have a beneficial effect on the Treg:Tcon balance in the first 3 months after transplantation. Nonetheless, no differences in aGVHD or cGVHD between the 2 arms were observed in the parent randomized trial. Calcineurin-inhibitor free, sirolimus-containing GVHD prophylaxis strategies, incorporating other novel agents, should be investigated further to maximize the potential favorable effect of sirolimus on Treg:Tcon balance in the post-transplantation immune repertoire. Sirolimus significantly compromises B cell recovery in the first 6 months post-HCT, with potential complex effects on cGVHD that merit further study.

Project description:Different types of graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis have been proposed in the setting of reduced intensity and non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation. An alternative combination with sirolimus and tacrolimus has recently been tested although comparative studies against the classical combination of a calcineurin inhibitor and mycophenolate mofetil or methotrexate are lacking. We describe the results of a prospective, multicenter trial using sirolimus + tacrolimus as immunoprophylaxis, and compare this approach with our previous experience using cyclosporine + mycophenolate in the setting of unrelated donor transplantation setting after reduced-intensity conditioning. Forty-five patients received cyclosporine + mycophenolate between 2002 and mid-2007, while the subsequent 50 patients, who were transplanted from late 2007, were given sirolimus + tacrolimus. No significant differences were observed in terms of hematopoietic recovery or acute graft-versus-host disease overall, although gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease grade ≥ 2 was more common in the cyclosporine + mycophenolate group (55% versus 21%, respectively, P=0.003). The 1-year cumulative incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease was 50% versus 90% for the patients treated with the sirolimus- versus cyclosporine-based regimen, respectively (P<0.001), while the incidence of extensive chronic disease was 27% versus 49%, respectively (P=0.043). The 2-year non-relapse mortality rate was 18% versus 38% for patients receiving the sirolimus- versus the cyclosporine-based regimen, respectively (P=0.02). The event-free survival and overall survival at 2 years were 53% versus 29% (P=0.028) and 70% versus 45% (P=0.018) among patients receiving the sirolimus- versus the cyclosporine-based regimen, respectively. In conclusion, in the setting of reduced intensity transplantation from an unrelated donor, promising results can be achieved with the combination of sirolimus + tacrolimus, due to a lower risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease and non-relapse mortality, which translates into better event-free and overall survival rates, in comparison with those achieved with cyclosporine + mycophenolate.

Dataset Information

A randomized phase II study to evaluate tacrolimus in combination with sirolimus or methotrexate after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Publications

A randomized phase II study to evaluate tacrolimus in combination with sirolimus or methotrexate after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

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