ABSTRACT
There is no specific diagnostic laboratory test for diagnosis of acute graft versus host disease [aGVHD] and sometimes it is a clinical diagnosis. Most investigators studying the relationship between IL-2 and aGVHD have obtained disappointing results. The expression and function of IL-2R and ICAM-1 are critical components in the initiation and elicitation of many T cell-mediated responses. This work was designed to investigate whether the observed phenotype pattern of IL-2R and ICAM-l may be useful for early diagnosis of aGVHD, in patients undergoing allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells transplantation [PBSCT]. Patients and Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 25 patients who underwent allogeneic PBSCT, and 13 patients with autologous PBSCT and 10 normal donors as control group. The expression of IL-2R and ICAM-1 were analyzed by flowcytometry using monoclonal antibodies against CD25 and CD54. There is statistically significant increase in the mean CD25 expression in patients with aGVHD [21.17 +/- 11.48] than patients with autologous PBSCT [5.01 +/- 2.62] or control group [1.4 +/- 0.51]. There was non significant difference [p > 0.05] in the CD 25 expression in patients with aGVHD grade I [15.11 +/- 13.9] and patients with grade 2-4 [mean 23.3 +/- 5.49]. There was significant increase [p < 0.01] in the number of patients with positive CD 25 expression with aGVHD grade 2-4 [3/3, 100%] than grade 1 [0%]. The percentage of CD54 was statistically significant higher [p < 0.05] in patients with allogeneic PBSCT [11.29 +/- 9.08] than in control group [1.34 +/- 0.47] and it was non significant with patients with autologous PBSCT [4.34 +/- 1.57]. There was non significant difference in the CD 54 expression in patients with aGVHD grade 1 [9.1 +/- 6.8] and patients with grade 2-4 [mean 16.3 +/- 12.2] [p > 0.05]. One patient 1/3 [33.3%] with positive expression of CD54 has aGVHD grade 1 and 2/3 [66.7%] have aGVHD grade 2-4 and this difference was statistically non significant [p < 0.2]. The increased level of CD25 in patients with allogeneic PBSCT is a useful marker for anticipating aGVHD and grade 2-4. CD54 is not a useful indicator for aGVHD or its grade