Researchers from the 星空传媒 School of Medicine have found potential treatments for two different types of a common complication following bone marrow transplantation.
A bone marrow transplant is a potentially curative treatment for leukemia and other blood cancers where a type of stem cell is transplanted from a donor into the patient. However, a common complication for bone marrow transplants is called graft vs. host disease (GvHD) where the donated cells view the recipient鈥檚 cells as an unfamiliar threat and attack.
Acute GvHD happens shortly after a transplant and often affects the skin, intestines or liver. Chronic GvHD can happen any time after transplantation and typically affects the skin, mouth, lungs, intestines, muscles or joints.
, an MU research team gave mice undergoing bone marrow transplantation a drug called Defibrotide, which is usually used to treat blocked blood vessels in the liver. They found the drug protected the cells that line the blood vessels, which are typically damaged in patients with acute GvHD.
鈥淭reatment with Defibrotide resulted in significantly better survival with reduced acute GvHD,鈥 said Senthilnathan Palaniyandi, PhD, an assistant professor at the 星空传媒 School of Medicine. 鈥淭hrough its anti-inflammatory and endothelial protective effects, this treatment reduced the severity of acute GvHD while not impairing the transplanted immune cells fighting against the leukemia.鈥
, the research team targeted chronic GvHD. They found that introducing different types of BTK/ITK kinase inhibitors reduced the severity of chronic GvHD and increased survival in mice.
鈥淲e found a combination kinase inhibitor to be effective for skin disease from chronic GVHD 鈥 said , Division Chief, Hematology and Medical Oncology at the 星空传媒 School of Medicine and Director of MU Health Care鈥檚 . 鈥淢ice treated with the combination kinase inhibitor showed significant reduction in chronic complications associated with bone marrow transplantation.鈥
These findings reveal that a drug that protects the cells that line the blood vessels shows effectiveness in reducing acute GvHD and that kinase inhibition shows promise as a treatment for chronic GvHD.
鈥淚ncreasing our understanding of how to manage GvHD is essential to clinically effective bone marrow transplantation at our Ellis Fischel Cancer Center and elsewhere globally,鈥 said Hildebrandt. 鈥淥ur lab is one of just a small number focused intently on solving the puzzle of GVHD to make bone marrow transplantation more effective and demonstrates the 星空传媒 Health System鈥檚 commitment to advancing research and to saving and improving lives.鈥
As the region鈥檚 leading academic health system, the 星空传媒 is well situated to lead on cancer research with the Roy Blunt Precision Health Building and the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center bridging laboratory and clinical research together on one clinical campus.
was published in Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. was published in Bone Marrow Transplantation.
Highlighting the promise of personalized health care and the impact of large-scale interdisciplinary collaboration, the initiative is bringing together innovators from across the 星空传媒 and the UM System鈥檚 three other research universities in pursuit of life-changing precision health advancements. It鈥檚 a collaborative effort to leverage the research strengths of Mizzou toward a better future for the health of Missourians and beyond. The Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building at MU anchors the overall initiative and expands collaboration between researchers, clinicians and industry partners in the state-of-the-art research facility.
