Value of Interleukin-7 and Interleukin-15 as Predictors of Graft Versus Host Disease in Recipients of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative therapy for a wide spectrum of hematological and non-hematological disorders. The development of post-transplant complications- notably GVHD, has limited the broader application of the technique for so long. Researchers have been looking for a biomarker that can help them in early detection of patients at risk of GVHD for early intervention or implementation of aggressive management. Many molecules were studied in this prospective including interleukin-7(IL-7) and interleukin-15(IL-15). Objectives: To evaluate plasma levels of both IL-7 and IL-15 pre-transplant as a baseline, and all through transplant procedure at defined intervals. To correlate these levels with GVHD process either acute or chronic. To interpret the findings to have a reply on the question of whether a correlation means that level of interleukins are a cause of the complication or a result. Patients and Methods: We study evaluated the association of both plasma IL-7 and IL-15 levels with GVHD either acute or chronic, in 30 patients who were eligible for allo-HSCT hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with different hematological benign and malignant Abdel Ghany S. Mohammed, Hoda A. Gad Allah, Mona A.Wahba, Nermeen A. Nabih, Rasha I. Mustafa and Alia M. Ahmed- Value of Interleukin-7 and Interleukin-15 as Predictors of Graft Versus Host Disease in Recipients of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation EUROPEAN ACADEMIC RESEARCH - Vol. III, Issue 6 / September 2015 6828 disorders. They received their allo-transplant from fully matched sibling donors except for two (having single locus mismatch). Plasma IL-7 and IL-15 levels were determined pre-transplant as a baseline and at certain intervals post-transplant. Results: It was found that plasma level of IL-7 at day+14 was positively correlated to hepatic and gut a GVHD with P-values of 0.003 and (p<0.001) respectively. It was also correlated to GVHD free survival and mortality with a P-value of 0.012 and 0.002. But rate of change of plasma values of IL-7 over transplant procedure was only correlated with gut a GVHD with high statistical significance (P-value<0.001). On the other hand, plasma level of IL-15 at day +14 correlated with cutaneous c GVHD with a P-value of <0.001, but it showed no association with any type of aGVHD. It showed no association with GVHD free survival or mortality. It was generally observed that rate of change of plasma level of IL-15 correlated with hepatic aGVHD. Conclusion: Plasma levels of IL-7 at day+14 correlated well with gut and hepatic aGVHD. Also, plasma level of IL-15 at day +14 correlated strongly with cutaneous cGVHD. Rate of uprise of plasma levels of IL-15 over transplant procedure period correlated well with hepatic aGVHD.