L'épithélium pigmentaire rétinien (EPR) est une monocouche de cellules épithéliales pigmentées situés entre la rétine neurale et la membrane de Bruch et joue un rôle important dans le maintien et la survie des photorécepteurs. Des malformations, le dysfonctionnement ou bien la mort de l'EPR provoque la mort des photorécepteurs. Orthodenticle homéoboîte 2 (Otx2) est un facteur de transcription exprimé par l’EPR chez l’animal adulte joue un rôle important dans l’EPR puisque son inactivation chez les souris [CreERT2 : Otx2flox] provoque la dégénérescence des photorécepteurs. En outre, les patients présentant des mutations dans le gène OTX2 souffrent de microphtalmie ou d'anophtalmie et développent généralement des maladies oculaires comme la rétinopathie pigmentaire (RP) ou l’amaurose congénitale de Leber. La délivrance par un vecteur AAV d’OTX2 dans des cellules primaires de l’EPR de porc mais aussi de cellules pluripotentes humaines différenciés en EPR nous a permis d’identifier de nouveaux gènes régulés par OTX2 et un variant d’épissage connu OTX2L. Nous avons par ailleurs identifié un nouveau variant d’épissage OTX2S par analyse bioinformatique de banques d'ADNc normalisées de RPE de rat. OTX2S présente une délétion d’une partie de l’homéodomaine. Nous avons étudié l'expression de ce variant dans la rétine et étudié ses propriétés transcriptionnelles en utilisant le promoteur du gène de la tyrosinase couplé à un gène rapporteur dans les cellules HEK293 et les cellules de l’EPR primaires de porcs. OTX2S exerce un effet transdominant négatif uniquement dans les cellules de l’EPR. Son rôle physiologique doit encore être précisé car il semble participer à la transition épithélio-mésenchymateuses qui survient après décollement de la rétine, une pathologie rétinienne fréquente. L’analyse par immunoprécipitation de la chromatine sur des cellules de l'EPR de porc montre que la plupart de ces gènes sont des cibles directes d’OTX2.Notre laboratoire a identifié un facteur neuroprotecteur sécrétée par photorécepteurs à bâtonnets, Rod-derived Cone Viability Factor (RdCVF) qui est une stratégie prometteuse pour le traitement de RP lorsque les patients portent des mutations dans les gènes exprimés sélectivement photorécepteurs à bâtonnets, ce qui est le plus fréquemment rencontré. Cette stratégie thérapeutique ne s’appliquera pas aux RP causés par les mutations de gènes spécifiquement exprimés par l’EPR, comme le gène MERTK. Afin d'étudier le bénéfice potentiel du gène Otx2, nous avons utilisé un rongeur modèle de RP avec une mutation dans le gène Mertk, les rats RCS. Nous montrons que la transplantation d'EPR génétiquement modifié pour sur-exprimer Otx2, améliore la protection des photorécepteurs et la vision de l’animal. Une augmentation de la réponse électrophysiologique (ERG) des photorécepteurs (ERG) et la protection de la couche nucléaire externe représentant les photorécepteurs a pu être mise en évidence, cette dernière par tomographie par cohérence optique (OCT). Nos résultats indiquent que cette approche pourrait être applicable pour le traitement des maladies de la rétine avec le dysfonctionnement de l'EPR comme la RP ou la dégénérescence maculaire liée à l'âge. / Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of pigmented epithelial cells located between the neural retina and Bruch’s membrane and has an important function in the maintenance and survival of photoreceptor cells. Abnormalities, dysfunction and/or death of the RPE ultimately lead to death of retinal photoreceptors. Orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2) is expressed in adult RPE and known to have an important role in RPE function since loss of function in Otx2flox/CreERT2 mice, leads to rapid photoreceptor degeneration. Furthermore, patients having mutations in this gene suffer from microphthalmia or anophthalmia and usually develop eye diseases as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber congenital amaurosis.Using ectopic expression involving AAV-mediated gene transfer in primary pig RPE cells and human induced pluripotent RPE derived cells, we have identified novel gene targets of Otx2 and Otx2L. The physiological role of Otx2S still needs to be addressed since it potentially participates in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition that occurs after retinal detachment, a frequent retinal pathology. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis using pig RPE cells shows that most of these genes are direct targets of OTX2.Our lab has previously identified a neuroprotective factor secreted by rod photoreceptors, Rod-derived Cone Viability Factor (RdCVF) which is a promising strategy for treatment of RP for patients with mutations in photoreceptor cells. This therapeutic strategy will not cover RP caused in genes specifically expressed by RPE, as for example MERTK gene.In order to study the potential benefit of Otx2 for gene-cell therapy, we used an animal model of RP with a mutation in the rdy (Mertk) gene, the RCS rats. Transplantation of genetically engineered RPE cells expressing Otx2, enhances the protection of photoreceptors and vision in this model. We demonstrate an improvement in electroretinograph (ERG) recordings and thickness of outer nuclear layer as measured in optical coherence tomography (OCT). Our findings indicate that this approach might be applicable treatment for retinal diseases with RPE dysfunction like RP and/or age related macular degeneration. Furthermore, using bioinformatic tools and gene screening of normalized cDNA libraries from rat RPE we identified Otx2S, a novel-splicing variant of Otx2 that lacks a part of a homeodomain. Otx2L, another splice variant of Otx2 with an insertion was also studied. We have shown the expression of this variant in NR and RPE and studied its transcriptional properties using gene reporter assay in HEK293 cells and pig primary RPE cells. In addition, we have found that Otx2S exerts a transdominant negative effect on tyrosinase promoter only in primary RPE cells.

Orientador: Sandra Cecilia Botelho Costa / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T12:27:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dieamant_DeboradeCampos_M.pdf: 2173566 bytes, checksum: ee57b8aa1f6592084b13483d2fc8d9ce (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A partir de 1960, com a evolução nos processos cirúrgicos para transplante, a infecção pelo HCMV começa a ser reconhecida como uma doença de importância clínica, sendo considerado o principal agente patogênico em hospedeiros com o sistema imunológico comprometido. Foi iniciada, em 1980, a utilização de medidas para o controle do vírus com agentes antivirais e intervenções imunológicas, e atualmente, os avanços para a compreensão dessa virose estão relacionados aos aspectos moleculares da infecção e controle clínico, principalmente nos grupos de risco. Sabendo-se da importância do diagnóstico precoce da infecção ativa e da identificação das linhagens de HCMV em pacientes transplantados por sua possível relação com a infectividade e apresentação clínica, este trabalho teve como objetivos principais: (1)Diagnosticar e monitorizar a infecção ativa por HCMV em receptores pediátricos de transplante de rim ou medula óssea em seguimento no Hospital de Clínicas da UNICAMP e no Centro Infantil Boldrini;(2)Determinar a prevalência dos subtipos gB de HCMV na população estudada;(3)Avaliar a relação de uma determinada linhagem com o quadro clínico, apresentado pelos pacientes estudados, durante a infecção ativa e doença por HCMV. Para o diagnóstico da infecção ativa por HCMV, foram analisadas amostras de sangue de 42 pacientes transplantados pediátricos, atendidos no Hospital de Clínicas da UNICAMP e Centro Infantil Boldrini, com idade entre 2 a 18 anos, sendo que 19 deles eram receptores de transplante renal e os outros 23, receptores de transplante de medula óssea. Foram utilizadas técnicas rápidas e precoces de diagnóstico: Antigenemia e Nested-PCR A identificação das diferentes cêpas do HCMV foi feita a partir do DNA de pacientes que apresentaram antigenemia e/ou 2 ¿Nested PCR¿ consecutivos positivos para a região IE do vírus. Para a genotipagem também foi utilizada a Nested-PCR para a amplificação da glicoproteína B seguida da análise de restrição com as enzimas Rsa I e Hinf I para que fosse possível a identificação da linhagem viral.A infecção ativa por HCMV foi diagnosticada em 20 (47,6%) dos 42 pacientes estudados, sendo 5/20 (21,7%) receptores de células tronco hemeatopoética e 15/20 (79%) receptores de transplante de rim. Deste pacientes que apresentaram infecção ativa pelo HCMV fizemos a genotipagem através de uma amostra positiva de sangue. Para os pacientes que apresentaram recorrência da infecção (5/20) a análise do genótipo viral foi feita nos dois períodos da infecção, caracterizando, em todos os casos, reatiavação viral. Como resultados da genotipagem tivemos uma prevalência do genótipo 1, encontrado em 45% (9/20) dos pacientes infectados pelo HCMV, sendo 7/15 receptores de rim e 2/5 receptores de células tronco hemetopoéticas. O Genótipo 2 também teve uma frequência considerável entre este pacientes apresentando uma prevalência de 25% (5/20) e sugeriu estar relacionado com um quadro clínico mais grave e reativação viral após tratamento. A mistura de linhagens também foi encontrada em 30% (6/20) dos pacientes estudados, gB1gB2 (3/6), gB1gB4 (2/6) e gB2gB3 (1/6). Os pacientes que apresentaram como linhagem viral a mistura de linhagens apresentaram melhor prognóstico da infecção ativa pelo HCMV. Os genótipos 3 e 4 não foram encontrados isoladamente em nenhuma amostra genotipada dos pacientes estudados / Abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains the most important cause of serious viral infections in pediatric transplant recipients. In these patients, early diagnosis of active HCMV infection is important since the development of HCMV disease may be prevented. Ganciclovir has been established as an effective treatment agent for active infection by HCMV. HCMV disease can occur from infection acquired by the transplanted organ or from re-activation of latent infection. The risk is highest within 2 months of transplantation. Several risk factors for disease have been identified and include: HCMV-positive donor, HCMV-negative recipient, lack of anti-viral prophylaxis, and receipt of cadaveric kidney or type of bone marrow transplant. Intense immunosuppression has also been implicated. For discriminate patients with active infection from those without such infection, tests that include the pp65 antigenemia assay (AGM) and DNA detection methods are describle. The polymarase chain reaction (PCR) is a sensitive method for detection of HCMV DNA and active infection. The HCMV antigenemia assay is a rapid and quantitative method widely used as a guideline for starting treatment with ganciclovir. Genetic variability of functionally important genes among different virus strains may influence clinical manifestations of HCMV infections. These variabilities, mainly of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene of the viral envelope, appear to be of clinical relevance because they are assumed to play an essential role in the induction of immune response and in viral entry into host cells, and it has been considered as a potential marker for viral virulence. Based on the restriction analysis of PCR products (PCR-RFLP), the HCMV genotypes were determined previously, and it may possibly be helpful in predicting the clinical outcome of HCMV infection. The aim of this study were detect and monitoring active HCMV infection in pediatric patients recipients of renal or bone marrow transplantation using DNA detection and antigenemia tests and to study the prevalence of subtypes gB-HCMV in this patients and the clinical impact. Twenty patients (47.6%) were infected during the monitoring with N-PCR and/or AGM. Recurrent infection occurred in five out of 20 patients(25%). One of these patient (20%) had done bone marrow transplantation and four patients (80%) had renal transplant. The median time of the recurrent infection was 122 days (89-134). The patients that received ganciclovir prophylaxis had active HCMV infection and probable HCMV disease. Fourteen out of 20 patients (70%) developed probable HCMV disease. Three out of (21.4%) these patients were recipients of bone marrow transplantation and eleven (78.6%) were recipients of renal transplant. T he symptoms more frequent in these patients were fever, diarrhea and vomit. This symptoms associate with active HCMV infection were considered probable HCMV disease. Nested-PCR amplification and restriction enzyme digestion of the HCMV gene were performed in 20 patients with active HCMV infection and results in differentiation of four digestion patterns as previously demostrated (Chou and Dennison, 1991). The genotypes founds were: nine patients (45%) were compatible with the gB1 genotype; five (25%) were gB2 and six patients were mixture of gB types. In the patients that demostrated mixture of gB types, 3 (50%) were compatible with the gB1gB2; two (33.3%) were compatible with gB1gB4 and one (16.7%) were compatible with gB2 gB3. No found isolated gB3 and gB4 genotype in the patients studied. / Mestrado / Mestre em Farmacologia

Orientadores: Cármino Antonio de Souza, Afonso Celso Vigorito / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T14:24:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Colella_MarcosPaulo_M.pdf: 4664560 bytes, checksum: ce76d7ca7d69ede5a86dc9fe14e7bbca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: O Transplante de Células Tronco Hematopoiéticas (TCTH) Alogênico representa uma possibilidade de cura para pacientes portadores de doenças hematológicas malignas e benignas. Porém, como qualquer modalidade de tratamento, apresenta efeitos adversos que podem ser graves, inclusive causando a morte. Com o intuito de se avaliar a influência que as comorbidades teriam na mortalidade não relacionada à recidiva (MNRR), foi criada uma ferramenta, o Índice de Comorbidade específico do Transplante de Células Tronco Hematopoiéticas (Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Specific Comorbidity Index - HCT-CI). Nossos objetivos, portanto, foram validar o HCT-CI na população de pacientes submetidos a TCTH Alogênico em nossa instituição, no período de 1993 a 2010, e avaliar outros fatores de riscos envolvidos na MNRR e na Sobrevida Global (SG). Os prontuários de 457 pacientes foram revistos e as informações referentes às comorbidades contidas no HCT-CI foram registradas. A maioria dos pacientes (59%) recebeu o índice 0, seguido de 30% de pacientes com índice de 1-2 e 11% com índice ? 3. Na análise univariada, os pacientes com HCT-CI igual a zero, comparados aos com HCT-CI ?1, apresentaram uma MNRR de 33% vs. 45% (p=0.01) e SG de 53% vs. 35% (p=0.001); nos pacientes que ao transplante apresentavam doença de baixo risco, comparados aos com doença de alto risco, a MNRR foi de 30% vs. 50% (p<0.0001) e SG de 57% vs. 27% (p<0.0001); o tipo de enxerto (medula óssea vs. sangue periférico) apresentou MNRR de 29% vs. 49% (p<0.0001) e SG de 56% vs. 34% (p<0.0001). A análise multivariada confirmou a influência do HCT-CI na MNRR e na SG, do risco da doença sobre a SG e do tipo de enxerto na MNRR. O tipo de condicionamento (baixa dose vs. alta dose) não teve influência na MNRR e SG, tanto na análise univariada quanto na multivariada. Quanto o grupo foi estratificado pelo HCT-CI (0 e ?1) o risco da doença ao transplante e o tipo de enxerto tiveram influência na MNRR e na SG, na análise univariada e multivariada, tanto nos pacientes com HCT-CI 0 e ?1. Não houve influência do tipo de condicionamento. O HCT-CI foi validado na nossa população de pacientes submetidos ao TCTH alogênico e identificamos outros fatores de risco que tiveram influência na MNRR e na SG. O HCT-CI, portanto, deve ser utilizado como guia no planejamento da estratégia terapêutica em pacientes portadores de comorbidades / Abstract: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant is an important modality of treatment for patients bearing malignant and benign hematologic diseases, representing a chance of cure. As every treatment, it has a treatment-related mortality, possibly influenced by comorbidities. To better evaluate the influence of comorbidities on Non-Relapse Mortality (NRM) and Overall Survival (OS), the Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) was developed. Our objective was to apply the HCT-CI and to find risk factors for NRM and OS in patients who underwent an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant in our institution, between 1993 and 2010. Medical charts from 457 patients were reviewed. Most patients (59%) were classified in score 0, followed by 30% of cases with score 1-2 and 11% score 3-7. In a univariate analysis, patients with comorbidity score 0, compared with score ?1 had a NRM of 33% vs. 45% (p=0.01) and OS at 5 years of 53% vs. 35% (p=0.001); patients with low risk disease at transplant, compared with high risk disease, had a NRM of 30% vs. 50% (p<0.0001) and OS of 57% vs. 27% (p<0.0001); graft source (bone marrow vs. peripheral blood) had a NRM of 29% vs. 49% (p<0.0001) and OS 56% vs. 34% (p<0.0001). The multivariate analysis confirmed the influence of HCT-CI score on NRM and OS, disease risk at transplant on OS and graft source on NRM. The conditioning type (low dose vs. high dose) did not influence the NRM and OS in both univariate and multivariate analysis. When stratified by comorbidity (0 and ?1), disease status at transplant and graft source influenced NRM and OS in univariate and multivariate analysis, either in the group of patients with HCT-CI 0 and ?1. The conditioning type had no impact. Based on our data, we were able to validate de HCT-CI in our institution and to identify other risk factors with influence on NRM and OS. The HCT-CI, therefore, could be used to guide the treatment strategy of patients with comorbidities / Mestrado / Clinica Medica / Mestre em Clinica Medica

Introdução: O transplante de células‐tronco hematopoéticas (TCTH) é um procedimento complexo, que envolve diferentes fatores e condições biopsicossociais. O acompanhamento dos dados desses pacientes é fundamental para a obtenção de informações que possam auxiliar a gestão, aperfeiçoar a assistência prestada e subsidiar novas pesquisas sobre o assunto. Objetivos: desenvolver um modelo de banco de dados (BD) de pacientes submetidos a TCTH, contemplando as principais variáveis de interesse na área. Métodos: Trata‐se de um estudo aplicado, onde utilizou‐se a metodologia de desenvolvimento de um BD relacional, seguindo três etapas principais (modelo conceitual, modelo relacional, modelo físico). O modelo físico proposto foi desenvolvido na plataforma Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). Um teste piloto foi realizado com dados de três pacientes submetidos a TCTH no Hospital Moinhos de Vento no ano de 2016/2017, a fim de avaliar a utilização das ferramentas e sua aplicabilidade. Resultados: Foram desenvolvidos nove formulários no REDCap: dados sociodemográficos; dados diagnósticos; histórico, dados clínicos prévios; avaliação prétransplante; procedimento; acompanhamento pós‐imediato; acompanhamento pós‐tardio; reinternações; óbito. Adicionalmente foram desenvolvidos três modelos de relatórios, com as variáveis contidas nos formulários para auxiliar na exportação de dados para as instituições envolvidas com o TCTH. Após o teste piloto foram realizados pequenos ajustes na nomenclatura de algumas variáveis e exclusão de outras devido à complexidade na sua obtenção. Conclusão: Espera‐se que com a sua utilização, o modelo de BD proposto possa servir como subsídio para qualificar a assistência prestada ao paciente, auxiliar a gestão e facilitar futuras pesquisas na área. / Introduction: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a complex procedure involving different biopsychosocial factors and conditions. Monitoring the data of these patients is fundamental for obtaining information that can help the management, improve the assistance provided and subsidize new research on the subject. Objectives: to develop a database model (DB) of patients submitted to HSCT, considering the main variables of interest in the area. Methods: it is an applied study, where the methodology of development of a relational DB was used, following three main steps (conceptual model, relational model, physical model). The proposed physical model was developed in the research electronic data capture (Redcap) platform. A pilot test was performed with data from three patients submitted to HSCT at Moinhos de Vento Hospital in 2016, in order to evaluate the use of the tools and their applicability. Results: nine forms were developed in redcap: demographic data; diagnostic data; previous clinical data; pre‐transplant evaluation; procedure; post‐immediate follow‐up; post‐late follow‐up; readmissions; death. In addition, three reporting models were developed, with the variables contained in the forms to assist in the export of data to the institutions involved with the TCTH. After the pilot test small adjustments were made in the nomenclature of some variables and others were excluded due to the complexity in obtaining them. Conclusion: it is hoped that with its use, the proposed BD model can serve as a subsidy to qualify the care provided to the patient, assist the management and facilitate research in the area.

Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease which renders risk stratification at diagnosis of high importance to personalize therapy. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offers the highest chance for sustained remission in most AML patients, but usually comes at the risk of a significant treatment-related mortality. The red cell distribution width (RDW) is an universally accessible parameter that identifies individuals with a higher mortality in many diseases, including some hematological entities. However, the impact of diagnostic RDW levels in AML – especially in the context of a HSCT consolidation - has not been evaluated so far. Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic impact of RDW levels at AML diagnosis. Methods: A total of 294 newly diagnosed AML patients (median age 60.6, range 14.3-76.5 years), with available diagnostic RDW levels were retrospectively included in this analysis. All patients received a consolidation therapy with an allogeneic HSCT in curative intention between August 2007 and December 2020 at the University Medical Center Leipzig. The RDW was measured in all patients at AML diagnosis before the start of cytoreductive therapies. Results: RDW levels at diagnosis were highly variable (median 16.6%, range 12%-30.6%) and above the upper level of normal (>15%) in 73% of the analyzed AML patients. Patients with RDW levels above 15% did not have worse outcomes compared to patients with low diagnostic RDW levels. However, when the cohort was dichotomized according to a receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-based optimal cut-point (20.7%), patients with high RDW levels had a significantly higher non-relapse mortality (NRM), shorter overall survival and a trend for shorter event-free survival, while the risk of relapse or disease progression was similar in both groups. In multivariate analyses, the RDW remained an independent prognostic factor for higher NRM after adjustment for the body mass index at diagnosis. Patients with a higher RDW were more likely to harbor a secondary AML, as well as to harbor secondary AML-associated gene mutations (i.e. JAK2, ASXL1, or spliceosome mutations, especially SRSF2). Conclusion: High RDW levels at diagnosis represent an independent risk marker for a higher mortality following allogeneic HSCT. When confirmed in prospective clinical trials, the RDW might help to personalize AML consolidation therapy including conditioning regimens before allogeneic HSCT.:1. Bibliographische Beschreibung 2. Abkürzungsverzeichnis 3. Einführung / Introduction 3.1. Acute Myeloid Leukemia 3.1.1. Definition 3.1.2. Epidemiology and etiology 3.1.3. Clinical presentation 3.1.4. Diagnosis of AML 3.1.4.1. Morphology 3.1.4.2. Immunophenotyping 3.1.4.3. Cytogenetic and molecular analyses 3.1.5. AML classification according to WHO classification 3.1.6. Prognostic factors in AML 3.1.6.1. Patient-related risk factors 3.1.6.2. Genetic risk factors 3.1.6.3. Measurable residual disease 3.1.7. Treatment of AML 3.1.7.1. Induction therapy in curative intention 3.1.7.2. Consolidation therapies 3.1.7.3. Palliative treatment approaches 3.1.7.4. New substances 3.2. Allogeneic HSCT 3.2.1. Principles of allogeneic HSCT 3.2.2. Conditioning regimens 3.3. Red cell distribution width 4. Aufgabenstellung / Objectives 5. Materialien und Methoden / Materials and Methods 5.1. Patients and treatments 5.1.1. Treatment protocols 5.1.2. Allogeneic HSCT and immunosuppression 5.1.3. Assessment of GvHD 5.2. Disease characterization 5.2.1. Evaluation at AML diagnosis 5.2.1.1. Morphology 5.2.1.2. Flow cytometry 5.2.1.3. Genetic analyses 5.2.1.4. Evaluation of RDW levels 5.2.2. Evaluation at HSCT 5.2.2.1. Definition of remission status at HSCT 5.2.2.2. Evaluation of measurable residual disease at HSCT 5.3. Statistical Analyses 5.3.1. Associations 5.3.2. Clinical endpoints 5.3.3. Definition of an optimal cut-point for RDW levels 5.3.4. Multivariate analyses 6. Ergebnisse / Results 6.1. Overall outcomes of the patient cohort 6.2. RDW levels at AML diagnosis regarded as continous parameter 6.3. The role of RDW levels at diagnosis as a predictor for outcomes after allogeneic HSCT 6.4. Associations of RDW levels at diagnosis 7. Diskussion / Discussion 8. Zusammenfassung / Summary 9. Literaturverzeichnis / References 10. Erklärung über die eigenständige Abfassung der Arbeit 11. Curriculum Vitae 12. Komplette Publikationsliste (Peer-reviewed) 13. Danksagung

Introduction: In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), leukemia initiating cells exist within the CD34+/CD38- cell compartment. They are assumed to be more resistant to chemotherapy, enriched in minimal residual disease cell populations, and responsible for relapse. Purpose: We evaluated clinical and biological associations and the prognostic impact of a high diagnostic CD34+/CD38- cell burden in AML patients receiving an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in complete remission. Here, the therapeutic approach is mainly based on immunological graft-versus-leukemia effects. Methods: Percentage of bone marrow CD34+/CD38- cell burden in 169 AML patients at diagnosis was measured using flow cytometry. The optimal cutoff of 6% was applied and used to evaluate the impact of a high CD34+/CD38- cell burden on outcome. Results: The CD34+/CD38- cell burden and was highly variable (median 0.5%, range 0-89% of all mononuclear cells). A high CD34+/CD38- cell burden at diagnosis associated with worse genetic risk and secondary AML. Patients with a high CD34+/CD38- cell burden had shorter relapse-free and overall survival, which may be mediated by residual leukemia initiating cells in the CD34+/CD38- cell population, escaping the graft-versus-leukemia effect after allogeneic HSCT. Conclusion: Evaluating the CD34+/CD38- cell burden at diagnosis may help to identify patients at high risk of relapse after allogeneic HSCT. Further studies to understand leukemia initiating cell biology and develop targeting therapies to improve outcomes of AML patients are needed.:Bibliographische Beschreibung / Bibliographic description 1 Einleitung / Introduction 2 Epidemiology and AML diagnosis 2 Therapeutic options in AML 3 Genetic risk classification for therapeutic decisions in AML 6 Immunophenotyping in AML 10 Leukemia Initiating Cells 11 Objectives of the here presented study 13 Publikation / Publication 14 Anlage / Supplemental Material 23 Zusammenfassung / Summary 48 Weiterführende Arbeiten / Future developments GPR56 as new LIC marker 52 Referenzen / References 55 Referenz der Publikation / Reference of the publication 60 Erklärung über die eigenständige Abfassung der Arbeit 61 Curriculum Vitae 62 Komplette Publikationsliste 65 Danksagung 74

Background: Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a serious complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Especially in cases with involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) treatment is difficult because the efficacy of most chemotherapeutic agents as well as EBV-specific cytotoxic donor T cells in liquor is uncertain. In the last years the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody Rituximab was intensively investigated in the treatment of EBV-PTLD. However, only 8 patients with B-cell lymphoma and CNS involvement treated with Rituximab were reported. Case Report: A 24-year-old female patient with acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia in second complete remission had received allogeneic, unrelated, T-cell depleted HSCT. 10 months later an EBV-associated PTLD was diagnosed. Beside peripheral lymphomas and B symptoms the patient showed neurological symptoms. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed a meningeosis lymphoblastica caused by the EBV lymphoma. Treatment with Rituximab and the antiviral drug Cidofovir led to complete remission with regression of the peripheral lymphomas and disappearance of the neurological symptoms. In addition, the PCR control on EBV DNA became negative in the plasma as well as in CSF. Conclusion: The combination of Rituximab and Cidofovir appears as an interesting alternative treatment in patients with EBV-associated PTLD and CNS involvement. / Hintergrund: Die Epstein-Barr-Virus(EBV)-assoziierte Posttransplantations-lymphoproliferative Disease (PTLD) ist eine gefürchtete Komplikation nach allogener hämatopoetischer Stammzelltransplantation (HSCT). Insbesondere bei Befall des zentralen Nervensystems (ZNS) ist die Behandlung auf Grund der unsicheren Liquorwirksamkeit der meisten Chemotherapeutika als auch von EBV-spezifischen zytotoxischen T-Spenderzellen schwierig. Der monoklonale Anti-CD20-Antikörper Rituximab wurde in den letzten Jahren bei Patienten mit EBV-PTLD intensiv untersucht. Allerdings wurde bislang lediglich von 8 Patienten mit ZNS-Befall eines B-Zell-Lymphoms berichtet, bei denen eine Therapie mit Rituximab erfolgte. Kasuistik: Eine 24-jährige Patientin hatte wegen einer akuten T-lymphoblastischen Leukämie in zweiter kompletter Remission eine allogen-unverwandte, T-Zelldepletierte HSCT erhalten. 10 Monate später wurde eine EBV-assoziierte PTLD diagnostiziert. Neben peripheren Lymphomen und B-Symptomen zeigte die Patientin neurologische Symptome. Die Liquoruntersuchung erbrachte den Befund einer Meningeosis lymphoblastica im Rahmen des EBV-Lymphoms. Die Behandlung mit Rituximab und dem Virustatikum Cidofovir führte zu einer kompletten Remission mit Rückbildung der peripheren Lymphome und Verschwinden der neurologischen Symptomatik. Außerdem wurde die PCR-Kontrolle auf EBV-DNA sowohl im Plasma als auch im Liquor negativ. Schlussfolgerung: Die Kombination von Rituximab und Cidofovir erscheint als eine interessante Therapiealternative für Patienten mit EBV-assoziierter PTLD und ZNS-Befall. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is used to treat patient with hematological diseases such as leukemia and genetic conditions such as sickle cell anemia. After HSCT the patients are supervised for signs of relapse of disease or rejection of transplanted cells. This is done by using chimerism analysis. At the department of clinical genetics at Akademiska sjukhuset fragment analysis of short tandem repeats is used for chimerism analysis, which is to be replaced by a Next generation sequencing (NGS) based method called Devyser chimerism, which includes an IVDR labelled kit. The aim of this project was to validate the new method for chimerism analysis. DNA samples from twelve HSCT patients and their donors were analyzed with Devyser chimerism and the results were compared to the results from the current method. The sensitivity of the new method was tested by analysis of artificial chimerism samples from blood donors. The results from the comparison showed a good correlation between methods (R2 = 0,9864) and the sensitivity of the method was confirmed to be 0,1% mixed chimerism. There was some difficulty in identifying enough informative markers for re-transplanted patients two had separate donors. This is a known problem for chimerism analysis in general and not a specific problem to the new method and will not be a hindrance for the implementation of Devyser chimerism at the clinical laboratory.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological, autoimmune disease which mainly affects people in the age of 20 to 40. The disease course is unpredictable affecting each patient differently, leading to progressiveand irreversible degradation of the central nervous system. There is no treatment that cures this disease, however, there are treatments that either slows down the disease course or prevents progressive disabilities. A treatment called autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is thought to reset the immune system and induce a new, more tolerant one, thus haltering the disease course. However, the knowledge about the effects causing the improvement seen in patients treated with AHSCT is limited. Methods: To investigate the effect of AHSCT in MS patients, serum lipidomics data from 16 patients was collected at ten timepoints. The lipidomics data was collected for both positively and negatively charged molecules separately as well as within a single experiment called polarity switching, using mass spectrometry. Since the standard method requires two separate experiments to analyze both positively and negatively charged lipids it requires twice the time and resources compared to polarity switching. Results: Comparing the two mass spectrometry protocols showed that the coefficient of variation (CV) was slightly higher for polarity switching compared to the standard method. Nevertheless, the difference was not significant and both methods had in general a good CV, indicating low technical variation. In addition, this thesis showed that polarity switching has a slightly higher percentage of lipids with zero carryover compared to the standard method. The results also indicated that the expression levels of differentially expressed lipids follow two distinct patterns throughout the AHSCT treatment. The largest intensity variation arises after stem cellreinfusion and the lipid intensities are back to nearly initial levels atthe three month follow-up. Finally, many lipids were found to be associated with the change in c-protein levels as well as erythrocyte, leukocyte, and thrombocyte levels that occurred during treatment. Conclusions: This master thesis showed that polarity switching is a good alternative to the standard method, saving both time and resources without losing too much in specificity. In addition, this thesis has shown that differentially expressed lipids follow two distinct expression patterns through the treatment. The lipids levels for both differentially expressed lipids and lipids associated with clinical data were nearly back to baseline levels three months after AHSCT. Hence, AHSCT has a major but short-lasting impact on the lipid levels in peripheral blood.

We determined in a rat model (1) the presence and dynamics of alloantibodies recognizing MHC complexes on quiescent Brown-Norway (BN) splenic cells in the sera of Lewis (LEW) recipients of Brown-Norway iliolumbar vein grafts under tacrolimus immunosuppression; and (2) the presence of immunoglobulins in the wall of acute rejected vein allografts.