Impact of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on T cytotoxic and T helper cells subsets in children with β-thalassemia major

Background
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative option widely available for thalassemia major patients. The goal of this work was to study the effect of HSCT in children with beta-thalassemia major on immunological recovery of the T cell subsets (T cytotoxic and T helper cell subpopulations,(of which the dynamics and relations to complications. Additionally, analyze the correlation between these T cell subsets with the development of graft versus host disease (GVHD).


Procedures
The present study was carried out on 20 children with β-thalassemia major. Patients were subjected to HSCT from Bone marrow transplantation Unit. The frequency of T cell subsets recovery was measured before transplantation, +28 days, +56 days, and +100 days post-transplantation by flow cytometry using the relevant panel of monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD3, anti-CD4, and anti-CD8).


Results

There was a significant difference in, CD3, CD4, and CD8 absolute count levels at different time points. There were significant differences in the CD4
+
/CD8
+
ratio when comparing pre-transplant with each period at +28 + 56 days (
P
>0.05) except at day +100. However, there were significant differences in CD8 absolute counts between patients with GVHD and patients without graft-versus-host disease at +28 days. There was no significant correlation of any T cell categories (CD3, CD4, CD8) and other variables.



Conclusion

CD8
+
T cells recovered earlier than CD4
+
T cells as the lymphocyte subsets in recovered in the following order: CD3
+
/CD8
+
, and CD3
+
/CD4
+
. No correlation between these T cell subsets recovery with the development of graft versus host diseaseGVHD.