Primate Monocytes - CD14, CD16 - Ziegler-Heitbrock

High frequency of CD29high intermediate monocytes correlates with the activity of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) 1–2. ‘Trial-and-error system’ remains the only way to identify the effectiveness of immunosuppressive drug in the individual patient, and valid biomarkers for cGVHD are eagerly needed to identify the response to the drug 3–4. Monocyte-derived interleukin-10 (IL-10) spot-forming cells (SFCs) can be used as a biomarker for evaluating the activity of cGVHD 5. Recently, monocytes have been classified into three subpopulations 6. Among them, CD14++CD16+ intermediate monocytes are found at low frequency, but they have unique features and expand with cytokine treatment and in inflammation 7. Now, we have demonstrated that CD29high intermediate monocytes increased in cGVHD. These results could be clinically relevant for treatment strategies.