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Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune disease--is it now ready for prime time?

ABSTRACT: Current systemic therapies are rarely curative for patients with severe life-threatening forms of autoimmune disease (AID). During the past 15 years, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) has been demonstrated to cure some patients with severe AID refractory to all other available therapies, and thus AID has become an emerging indication for cell therapy. The sustained clinical effects after autologous HCT are better explained by qualitative change in the reconstituted immune repertoire rather than transient depletion of immune cells. Since 1996, more than 1300 AID patients have been registered by the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) and almost 500 patients by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Autologous HCT is most commonly performed for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or systemic sclerosis (SSc). Systemic lupus, Crohn's disease, type I diabetes, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis are other common indications. Allogeneic transplants are still considered too toxic for use in AID, except for cases of immune cytopenia. Although biologic therapies have been effective at controlling the manifestations of the disease, they require continuous administration, thus raising questions about their increasing costs, morbidity, and mortality related to prolonged therapy. Perhaps it is a reasonable time to ask, "Is autologous HCT for severe AID now ready for prime time?" Yet, the paucity of controlled studies, the short-term toxicities, and the upcoming availability of second-generation biologic and targeted immunotherapies argues that perhaps HCT for AID should be still limited to clinical trials. In this article, we focus on the results of autologous HCT for MS and SSc because these are the two most commonly transplanted diseases. The promising data that is emerging may establish these diseases as standard indications for HCT.

SUBMITTER: Atkins HL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6309826 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune disease--is it now ready for prime time?

Atkins Harold L HL Muraro Paolo A PA van Laar Jacob M JM Pavletic Steven Z SZ

Biology of blood and marrow transplantation : journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation 20120101 1 Suppl

Current systemic therapies are rarely curative for patients with severe life-threatening forms of autoimmune disease (AID). During the past 15 years, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) has been demonstrated to cure some patients with severe AID refractory to all other available therapies, and thus AID has become an emerging indication for cell therapy. The sustained clinical effects after autologous HCT are better explained by qualitative change in the reconstituted immune ...[more]

PMID: 22226104

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Project description:ObjectiveTo determine if autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) could be a salvage therapy for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).MethodsThirteen patients were enrolled in a prospective open-label cohort study (11 NMOSD aquaporin-4-immunoglobulin G [AQP4-IgG]-positive, 1 NMOSD without AQP4, and 1 NMOSD AQP4-IgG-positive with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]). Following stem cell mobilization with cyclophosphamide (2 g/m2) and filgrastim, patients were treated with cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) divided as 50 mg/kg IV on day -5 to day -2, rATG (thymoglobulin) given IV at 0.5 mg/kg on day -5, 1 mg/kg on day -4, and 1.5 mg/kg on days -3, -2, and -1 (total dose 6 mg/kg), and rituximab 500 mg IV on days -6 and +1. Unselected peripheral blood stem cells were infused on day 0. AQP4-IgG antibody status was determined by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-validated ELISA or flow cytometry assays. Cell-killing activity was measured using a flow cytometry-based complement assay.ResultsMedian follow-up was 57 months. The patient with coexistent SLE died of complications of active lupus 10 months after HSCT. For the 12 patients with NMOSD without other active coexisting autoimmune diseases, 11 patients are more than 5 years post-transplant, and 80% are relapse-free off all immunosuppression (p < 0.001). At 1 and 5 years after HSCT, Expanded Disability Status Scale score improved from a baseline mean of 4.4 to 3.3 (p < 0.01) at 5 years. The Neurologic Rating Scale score improved after HSCT from a baseline mean of 69.5 to 85.7 at 5 years (p < 0.01). The Short Form-36 health survey for quality of life total score improved from mean 34.2 to 62.1 (p = 0.001) at 5 years. In the 11 patients whose baseline AQP4-IgG serostatus was positive, 9 patients became seronegative by the immunofluorescence or cell-binding assays available at the time; complement activating and cell-killing ability of patient serum was switched off in 6 of 7 patients with before and after HSCT testing. Two patients remained AQP4-IgG-seropositive (with persistent complement activating and cell-killing ability) and relapsed within 2 years of HSCT. No patient with seronegative conversion relapsed.ConclusionProlonged drug-free remission with AQP4-IgG seroconversion to negative following nonmyeloablative autologous HSCT warrants further investigation.

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Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune disease--is it now ready for prime time?

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Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune disease--is it now ready for prime time?

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