Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Anemia, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, diet, treatment, causes.

Early emergence of PNH-like T cells after allogeneic stem cell transplants utilising CAMPATH-1H for T cell depletion.

Garland RJ, Groves SJ, Diamanti P, West SE, Winship KL, Virgo PF, Robinson SP, Oakhill A, Cornish JM, Pamphilon DH, Marks DI, Goulden NJ, Steward CG

Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, UK. R.Garland@bristol.ac.uk

CAMPATH-1H (C-1H) is widely used in vivo and / or in vitro for T cell depletion in hematopoietic SCT. This humanised monoclonal antibody is specific for CD52, a marker coexpressed on the majority of human lymphocytes with CD48 and other glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol (GPI) anchored proteins. We detected CD52 / CD48 dual expression on >99% of CD3(+) lymphocytes from normal individuals and all 15 post-SCT patients whose transplants did not utilise C-1H. By contrast, 23 / 26 patients with transplants involving C-1H (in vivo, in vitro or both) exhibited populations lacking CD52 expression that accounted for 49.7% (4.2-86.2%) of the CD3+ lymphocytes (median and range) in samples evaluated at a median of 2 months post-SCT. Most CD52- cells also lacked CD48 expression. These GPI- T cells were of either donor or mixed donor / recipient origin. They were predominant in the early months after SCT at times of profound lymphopenia and inversely correlated with the recovery of the absolute lymphocyte count (r= - 0.663, P<0.0001). The presence of CD52- cells has been correlated previously with clinical outcome after CAMPATH therapy for both malignant and nonmalignant diseases.

Published 18 July 2005 in Bone Marrow Transplant, 36(3): 237-44.
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