Addition of IL-6 inhibition to standard GVHD prophylaxis to prevent GVHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND - IL-6 mediates graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in experimental allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) and is an attractive therapeutic target. METHODS - A registered phase I/II study (ACTRN12612000726853) of IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) neutralizing antibody administration on day -1 to patients receiving full or reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) and alloSCT from HLA-matched sibling or unrelated donors with standard cyclosporin and methotrexate GVHD prophylaxis. The primary endpoint was incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD. Outcomes were compared to a non-randomized but contemporaneous group of study patients receiving the same alloSCT in the absence of IL-6R mAb. FINDINGS - Cytokine and pharmacokinetic analysis confirmed transient IL-6 dysregulation in the first month after alloSCT with complete inhibition following IL-6R mAb administration. With median follow up of 497 days, the incidence of grade II-IV GVHD was 12.5% in recipients of IL-6R inhibition (n = 48) versus 41.5% in the (n = 53) control cohort (P = 0.001). Low rates of acute GVHD were noted in patients receiving IL-6R inhibition relative to control patients following both myeloablative (12.5% vs. 46.4%, P = 0.03) and RIC (12.5% vs. 36.0%, P = 0.04). The incidence of severe (grade III/IV) acute GVHD was 4.2% in recipients of IL-6R inhibition versus 20.8% in the control cohort (P = 0.012). Relapse and chronic GVHD were unchanged. Immune reconstitution was preserved in recipients of IL-6R inhibition, but qualitatively modified with suppression of known pathogenic STAT3-dependent pathways. INTERPRETATION - IL-6 is the principal detectable and dysregulated cytokine secreted after alloSCT and its inhibition is a potential new and simple strategy to protect from acute GVHD despite robust immune reconstitution and a sustained graft-versus-leukemia effect.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE61201 | GEO | 2014/09/09

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA260500

REPOSITORIES: GEO