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Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Immunohistochemistry of affected tissue may guide cGVHD treatment decisions

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 731–733 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Chronic graft-vs-host disease (cGVHD) myositis is a rare complication of hematopoietic SCT, for which the pathogenesis and optimal therapy are unclear. We performed immunohistochemistry on muscle biopsies from pediatric cGVHD myositis and typical cases of autoimmune dermatomyositis and polymyositis. The immunostaining pattern of cGVHD myositis was distinct from that of typical cases of autoimmunity. There was a high proportion of CD20+ and CD68+ cells, and the best therapeutic response was achieved with rituximab (anti-CD20). These results suggest that cGVHD myositis may be mediated by different leukocytes than similar autoimmune diseases and that treatment may be optimized by targeting the specific cellular infiltrates identified in affected tissue.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Drs Frances Hakim and Steven Pavletic for their review of this manuscript.

Author contributions: KMW, ARC, LWO and DML designed research. TC, ALM, LWO and AMC performed research and analyzed data. KMW, LWO, DML, TC, RDC, AMC, ALM and ARC wrote and edited this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    K M Williams

  2. Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    L W Ostrow, A M Corse & A L Mammen

  3. Pediatric Oncology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    D M Loeb & A R Chen

  4. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    T Chung

  5. Genetics, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    R D Cohn

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  1. K M Williams
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  2. L W Ostrow
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Correspondence to K M Williams.

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Williams, K., Ostrow, L., Loeb, D. et al. Immunohistochemistry of affected tissue may guide cGVHD treatment decisions. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 731–733 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.164

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