Yu-Jun Dong

Clinical and laboratory characterization of 114 cases of Castleman disease patients from a single centre: paraneoplastic pemphigus is an unfavourable prognostic factor

This study retrospectively collected the clinical and laboratory data of 114 patients with Castleman disease (CD) from a single medical centre. Clinical classification identified 62 patients (54·4%) with unicentric Castleman disease and 52 (45·6%) with multi‐centric Castleman disease. Pathological classification revealed 68 cases (59·6%) of hyaline vascular variant, 16 (14·1%) mixed cellular variant (Mix) and 30 (26·3%) plasmacytic variant. Clinical complications occurred in 69 CD patients, including 37 cases of paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) and 25 cases with renal complications. Haematological involvement, pleural effusion and/or ascites and POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes) were also found. Univariate analysis showed that presence of clinical complications and PNP were both risk factors relating to CD patient survival. Prognostic factors showing P < 0·15 in univariate analysis and those with clinical significance were subjected to multivariate analysis using a Cox regression model. PNP presence and age over 40 years both significantly adversely affected survival. Thus, only presence of PNP was identified as an independent unfavourable survival risk factor in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Overall, the present data provide a panoramic description of CD cases and emphasize that the presence of PNP is an adverse prognostic factor.

Bortezomib regulates the chemotactic characteristics of T cells through downregulation of CXCR3/CXCL9 expression and induction of apoptosis

The chemotactic movement of T lymphocytes mediated by chemokines and their receptors plays an important role in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). CCR7 and CXCR3 are two receptors associated with the development of GVHD. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, was recently found to prevent GVHD in a mouse model and to decrease the production of Th1 cytokines. Here, we report that bortezomib differentially regulates the expression of CXCR3 and CCR7 on T cells; it significantly decreases CXCR3 expression on T cells as well as its CD4+/CD8+ subsets in a dose-dependent manner, while it does not significantly affect CCR7 expression on T cells and subsets. Moreover, the secretion of CXCL9 by activated T cells is also increasingly downregulated with increasing concentrations of bortezomib. Meanwhile, bortezomib inhibits T-cell chemotactic movements toward CXCL9 in a dose-dependent manner, but has no effect on CCL19-induced T-cell chemotaxis. Additionally, it was found that bortezomib treatment also prompts T-lymphocyte apoptosis through activation of caspase-3 and its downstream PARP cleavage in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These results suggest that bortezomib may act as a suppressor of GVHD by downregulating T-cell chemotatic movement toward GVHD target organs, as well as by inducing apoptosis.

CCR5 blockade combined with cyclosporine A attenuates liver GVHD by impairing T cells function

ObjectiveOur preview study found that CCR5 blockade combined with cyclosporine A could attenuate the severity of liver GVHD. But the potential immunological mechanisms have not yet been explored. So our present study was designed to clarify the potential immunological mechanisms in mouse models after allo-HSCT.MethodsFirstly, we detected donor T cells homing to target organs, and analyzed the specific effector subsets in liver. Additionally, we assessed antigen-presenting cells (APCs), especially DCs and CD4+ T cells differentiation in secondary lymphoid organs.ResultsData showed that MVC combined with CsA reduced donor T cells migration to target organs in vivo. MVC and CsA treatment reduced the amount of donor T cells in the absolute numbers, also in donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by targeting at CCR5. And MVC co-injected with CsA was capable of slightly suppressing DC maturation, and reduced the percentage of Th1 and Th17 mainly by noncompetitive combination of CCR5.ConclusionCombined use of MVC and CsA was effective in attenuating liver GVHD in murine model. It can suppress DC maturation, affect T cells differentiation, and reduce donor T cells homing to target organs. This may offer a novel therapeutic perspective approach for clinical liver GVHD after allo-HSCT.

Enhancement of anti-lymphoma immuno-effects mediated by dendritic cells pulsed with heat-stressed and rituximab-coated CD20+ lymphoma cells

Rituximab, a CD20-reactive chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb), induces apoptosis of lymphoma cells and promotes phagocytosis by dendritic cells and produces a cellular immunoresponse by cross-presentation of tumor antigens to T cells. Heat-stressed tumor cells also stimulate dendritic-cell maturation and induce specific cytotoxic T cells against tumor cells by inducing expression of heat-shock proteins. In this study, we used heat-stressed and rituximab-coated CD20+ lymphoma cells as antigens to load onto immature dendritic cells, and found that rituximab-coated CD20+ Raji cells could promote phagocytosis by dendritic cells, and that rituximab-coated or heat-stressed and then rituximab-coated CD20+ Raji cells resulted in increased dendritic cell maturation. Moreover, only CD20+ Raji cells treated with heat and rituximab effectively enhanced the immunostimulating functions of dendritic cells. Thus, our data indicate that rituximab and heat-shock proteins have synergistic effects, resulting in increased induction of cytotoxic T cells against B-cell lymphoma.

CXCR3 blockade combined with cyclosporine A alleviates acute graft-versus-host disease by inhibiting alloreactive donor T cell responses in a murine model

HIGHLIGHTSCXCR3 antagonist together with CsA had a synergy effect to mitigate aGvHD in a murine aGvHD model.The mechanism relied on inhibiting of donor‐derived T cell responses.AMG487 combined with CsA decreased the oncentrations of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in serum. ABSTRACT Chemotaxis of T cells to acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGvHD) target tissues directed by chemokines and their receptors plays a key role in the pathogenesis of aGvHD. Blockade of lymphocyte migration by targeting chemokine receptors may be a viable strategy for the prevention and treatment of aGvHD, which is quite distinguishable from typical efforts to use immunosuppressive medications that have been associated with some side effects. CXCR3 and its ligands have been reported to be correlated with aGvHD pathogenesis. Using the small‐molecule CXCR3 antagonist AMG487, we demonstrated that AMG487 combined with cyclosporine A (CsA) effectively alleviated aGvHD with a prolonged mean survival time and significantly inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells in aGvHD target tissues in a murine aGvHD model. In addition, AMG487 combined with CsA inhibited the activation, proliferation and differentiation of donor‐derived T cells in the spleens. Further results showed that the concentrations of Th1 cells associated with pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as IFN‐&ggr; and TNF&agr; in serum were decreased. In addition, AMG487 treatment did not alter CXCR3 and CCR5 expression in donor‐derived T cells but elevated the serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 levels. This novel and effective approach has the potential to develop a new clinical method to prevent and treat aGvHD.

Effectiveness of rituximab-containing treatment regimens in idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease

Human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8)-negative, idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disease often involving constitutional symptoms, cytopenias, and multiple organ system dysfunction. In China, the majority of MCD cases are HHV-8 negative. Given that siltuximab, the only FDA-approved treatment for iMCD is not available in China; rituximab- and cyclophosphamide-containing regimens are often used in the treatment of Chinese iMCD patients. To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab in this rare and heterogeneous disease, clinical and pathological data from 27 cases of iMCD were retrospectively analyzed from two large medical centers in China. The novel diagnostic criteria for iMCD were applied, and POEMS syndrome, IgG4-related diseases, and follicular dendritic cell sarcomas cases were excluded from analyses. Total response rate of rituximab- and cyclophosphamide-containing regimens was 55.5%, with 33.3% (9/27) of the cases reaching CR and 22.2% (6/27) PR. In the 14 cases of R-R iMCD, total response rate was only 42.9% (CR 14.3% [2/14], PR 28.6% [4/14]). The 5-year OS of these 27 iMCD cases was 81% (95% CI 64–98; 27 total patients, 4 events, 23 censored) after receiving these regimens, but the 5-year PFS was 43% (95% CI 19–66; 25 total patients, 11 events, 14 censored). Thus, rituximab-based regimens should be considered for the treatment of iMCD patients when siltuximab is not available and potentially in siltuximab-refractory cases.