Cytochemical analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells following
allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: correlation of hydrolase expression
with graft-versus-host disease
M Repetto, A Bacigalupo, M Viale, G Piaggio, M Gandini, F Frassoni, AM Marmont and MT Van Lint
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 21 patients undergoing allogeneic
bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were monitored post-BMT for immunologic
markers (E rosettes OKT3, OKT8, DR, and BT5/9, a monoclonal antibody which
stains helper T cells), cytochemical markers (acid phosphatase [AP],
beta-glucuronidase [BGLU], and acid alpha naphthyl acetate esterase [ANAE]
), and morphology. The cytochemical T score, was obtained from typical AP,
BGLU, and ANAE reactivity. The same was done for the cytochemical non-T
score and macrophage (Mo) score. All patients received cyclosporine A (CyA)
for graft-v-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis. In univariate analysis there
was no significant correlation between the proportion of E rosettes, OKT3-,
OKT8-, DR-, and BT5/9-positive cells, and GvHD. The first three showed
instead a positive correlation with time from transplant: E rosettes (P =
.02), OKT3 (P = .01), and OKT8 (P = .003). In contrast, a significant
negative correlation was found in univariate analysis, between the
cytochemical T score and GvHD (P = .0001), and a positive correlation
between non-T score and GvHD (P = .0008), as well as between the Mo score
and GvHD (P = .03). There was no influence of time from transplant on the T
(P = .8), non-T (P = .8), or Mo score (P = .4). In multivariate analysis
comparing E rosettes, OKT3, T score, non-T score, GvHD, and time from BMT,
the only variable associated with GvHD was the T score (P less than .05).
These results suggest that T cell activation during GvHD is associated with
a loss of hydrolase expression in T cells, but does not imply relevant
modifications of immunologic surface markers. In addition, lysosomal
enzymes appear early (before day 10) after transplantation, indicating that
T cells at this stage are well differentiated.
Volume 66,
Issue 5,
pp. 1011-1016,
11/01/1985
Copyright © 1985 by The American Society of Hematology
