Correlation between plasma biomarkers and post-allo-HSCT complications in pediatric patients

Findings from a single-center study, investigating the correlation between plasma biomarker levels and post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) complications in pediatric patients (N = 157), were published in the International Journal of Hematology by Yang et al. Serum samples were collected at acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) onset or when its occurrence was considered likely by clinical assessment. Levels of regenerating islet-derived protein 3‑alpha (REG3α), interleukin‑6 (IL‑6), interleukin‑8 (IL‑8), soluble ST2 (sST2), and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) were analyzed.

Key data: sST2 levels were higher in patients with aGvHD vs those without aGvHD (non-aGvHD group; p = 0.042). There was no difference in the levels of REG3α, IL‑6, IL‑8, and TNFR1 between the aGvHD and non-aGvHD groups (p = 0.23, p = 0.86, p = 0.11, and p = 0.17, respectively). Levels of sST2 and REG3α were higher in patients with Grade 3–4 vs Grade 1–2 aGvHD (p = 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively). High levels of sST2 (≥124,090 pg/ml) and REG3α (≥17,176 pg/ml) were associated with lower overall survival (OS; p = 0.018) and higher non-relapse mortality (NRM; p = 0.0004) vs patients with one or neither biomarker elevated.

Key learning: Elevated sST2 and REG3α levels are associated with the presence and/or severity of aGvHD and may provide prognostic insight, supporting further evaluation of their utility for early risk stratification in pediatric patients following allo-HSCT.