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Graft Versus Tumor Effects

Evidence for a graft-versus-mast-cell effect after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 34, pages 515–519 (2004)Cite this article

Summary:

Mast cell leukemia (MCL) is a rare form of aggressive mastocytosis with a reported median survival below 6 months. Casuistic reports suggest the effectiveness of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for MCL. However, these reports lack clear evidence for a graft-versus-mast-cell (GvMC) effect. We prospectively investigated the GvMC at different time points after allogeneic BMT and donor-lymphocyte infusions (DLI). Samples were gathered from a patient with MCL treated with allogeneic BMT from an unrelated HLA identical donor. Parameters for detection of a GvMC effect included flow cytometrical analysis of mast cell (MC) populations in peripheral blood and BM, BM smear and histology, chimerism analysis of flow cytometrically sorted BM CD117+/CD34− MC and testing for anti-mast cell reactivity of donor lymphocytes by interferon (IFN)-γ ELISPOT. DLIs reduced MC from 5 to 0.5%. MC chimerism analysis demonstrated a complete recipient genotype after BMT, suggesting that the persistent mastocytosis was part of residual neoplastic disease. At 3.7 years after BMT, there is some evidence for relapse. In summary, BMT and DLIs attenuated the mastocytosis from an aggressive to an indolent form and may have improved the patients' prognosis. The in vitro data of our study indicate for the first time the existence of a GvMC effect.

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Acknowledgements

c-kit mutation analysis was carried out by Dr S Schnittger, University Hospital Grosshadern, LMU, Munich, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematology/Oncology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Hugstetterstrasse 55, Freiburg, Germany

    A Spyridonidis, A K Thomas, H Bertz, R Zeiser, C F Waller & J Finke

  2. Department of Pathology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Hugstetterstrasse 55, Freiburg, Germany

    A Schmitt-Gräff

  3. Wilhelmstr. 1, Ettlingen, Germany

    A Lindemann

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  1. A Spyridonidis
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  2. A K Thomas
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  3. H Bertz
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  4. R Zeiser
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  5. A Schmitt-Gräff
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  6. A Lindemann
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  7. C F Waller
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  8. J Finke
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Correspondence to J Finke.

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Spyridonidis, A., Thomas, A., Bertz, H. et al. Evidence for a graft-versus-mast-cell effect after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 34, 515–519 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704627

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704627

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