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Reduced leukemia relapse through cytomegalovirus reactivation in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor-ligand-mismatched cord blood transplantation

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in cord blood transplantation (CBT) may result in the proliferation and maturation of natural killer (NK) cells. Similarly, a mismatch of the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)-ligand induces NK cell activation. Therefore, if CMV reactivation occurs in the presence of KIR-ligand mismatch, it might improve CBT outcomes. We assessed the difference in the effect of CMV reactivation in the presence of KIR-ligand mismatch on disease relapse in the graft-versus-host direction. A total of 2840 patients with acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and chronic myeloid leukemia were analyzed. Among those with a HLA-Bw4/A3/A11 (KIR3DL-ligand) mismatch, CMV reactivation up to 100 days following CBT had a favorable impact on relapse (18.9% vs. 32.9%, P = 0.0149). However, this effect was not observed in cases without the KIR3DL-ligand mismatch or in those with or without a HLA-C1/C2 (KIR2DL-ligand) mismatch. The multivariate analysis suggested that CMV reactivation had a favorable effect on relapse only in cases with a KIR3DL-ligand mismatch (hazard ratio 0.54, P = 0.032). Moreover, the interaction effect between CMV reactivation and KIR3DL-ligand mismatch on relapse was significant (P = 0.039). Thus, our study reveals the association between KIR-ligand mismatches and CMV reactivation, which will enhance CBT outcomes.

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Fig. 1: Flowchart depicting the patient selection process.
Fig. 2: Effect of CMV reactivation on relapse following CBT in patients with or without a KIR-ligand mismatch.
Fig. 3: Multivariate analysis assessing the effect of CMV reactivation on relapse and NRM following CBT based on each type of KIR-ligand mismatch and identification of the interaction effect between KIR-ligand mismatch and CMV reactivation.
Fig. 4: Effect of CMV reactivation on NRM following CBT in patients with or without a KIR-ligand mismatch.
Fig. 5: Effect of CMV reactivation on OS following CBT in patients with or without a KIR-ligand mismatch.
Fig. 6: Multivariate analysis assessing the effect of CMV reactivation on outcomes following CBT in patients with AML and ALL having a KIR3DL-ligand mismatch.
Fig. 7: Effect of CMV reactivation on CBT outcomes in patients with or without KIR3DL-ligand mismatch, which was assessed by multivariate analysis for the cohort that excluded patients developing aGVHD II–IV.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the physicians and data managers who delivered valuable data to the Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (JSHCT). The authors would also like to thank the staff at the Data Center, JSHCT for their contributions.

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Yokoyama, H., Kanda, J., Kawahara, Y. et al. Reduced leukemia relapse through cytomegalovirus reactivation in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor-ligand-mismatched cord blood transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 56, 1352–1363 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-020-01203-8

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