Ikaros Expression In Dendritic Cells In Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DC) have an important role in the immune system, mainly as efficient antigen presentation cells. DC reconstitution post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been the subject of investigation, and the quantification of plasmacytoid DC, both in the graft and in the peripheral blood HSCT patients, correlates with clinical outcomes such as graft versus host disease (GVHD) and mortality. More recently, Ikaros protein has been shown to modulate T lymphocyte and to influence the DC differentiation, especially into plasmacytoid DC. In experimental models, the absence of DC Ikaros expression was directly correlated with severe GVHD. However, there are no clinical studies showing a correlation between the expression of Ikaros and clinical outcomes in HSCT. The aims of our study are: to evaluate Ikaros expression in DC in HSCT recipients, to correlate the expression and location of the Ikaros protein in DC with the clinical outcomes of these patients. A total of 50 allogeneic HSCT patients will be studied. Twenty healthy volunteers will also be studied as normal controls. (AU)