Expanded antigen-specific donor regulatory T cells for GVHD prevention

J Joseph A Pidala (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) N Nicoletta Cieri (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States) M Michael J Schell (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) X Xiaofei Song (Molecular Synthesis Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotherapeutics, School of Medicine and Pharmacy) Y Yiren Shao (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States) B Biwei Cao (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) D Dongliang Du (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) R Ram Thapa (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) B Brian C Betts (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, United States) W William Janssen C Christopher Cubitt S Sean J Yoder (Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) M Mandy Flannery O'Leary (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) F Francisca Beato (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) A Anandharaman Veerapathran (Moffitt Cancer Center, Acton, Massachusetts, United States) M Meghan A Menges (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) M Michelle Burton (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) N Nelli Bejanyan (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) O Omar Alexis Castaneda-Puglianini (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) H Hany Elmariah (Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States) R Rawan G. Faramand H Hugo F. Fernandez (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States) D Doris K Hansen (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) M Michael D Jain (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) F Farhad Khimani (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) A Aleksandr Lazaryan (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) H Hien D Liu (H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) F Frederick L. Locke A Abu-Sayeef Mirza (6Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL) A Asmita Mishra (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, TAMPA, Florida, United States) M Michael Nieder (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) T Taiga Nishihori (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) L Leonel Ochoa (Moffitt Cancer Center) L Lia E Perez (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) F Fabiana Perna (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) R Reshma Ramlal (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) N Nancy Eunice Torres (H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) C Claudio Anasetti (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States)

Abstract

Minor histocompatibility antigen (mHAg)-specific alloreactive donor T cells cause graft vs. host disease (GVHD) in matched related donor allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In a phase I trial, we expanded and infused (on day -2) mHAg-specific donor regulatory T cells (Treg) together with sirolimus-based pharmacologic prophylaxis to examine safety and preliminary efficacy of this GVHD prevention approach. We employed a 3+3 phase I design escalating Treg dose in 4 levels: 0.5 x 105/kg, 1 x 105/kg, 2 x 105/kg, and 4 x 105/kg. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) included grade 4-5 related infusion reaction, grade 4-5 unexpected organ toxicity, grade III-IV acute GVHD, or treatment-related death. Secondary and exploratory measures examined acute and chronic GVHD, survival outcomes, and Treg clone (TCR-Seq) expansion in culture, and in-vivo longevity and expansion post-HCT. 15 subjects were included (N=3 each per dose levels 1-3, and N=6 in dose level 4). No DLT were observed, and 4 x 105/kg Treg was identified as MTD. Median follow up for survivors was 41.7 months (range 14.5-72.8). The day 100 cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD was 13% (95% CI 2-35%). NIH moderate/severe chronic GVHD by 1 year was 6.7% (95% CI 0.36-27%) and by 3 years was 20% (95%CI 4.4-44%). Overall survival was 73% (95% CI 54-100%). Treg clones expanded in culture, and demonstrated post-HCT lineage fidelity, persistence, and in-vivo expansion. This translational trial supports mHAg-specific expanded donor Treg as a novel GVHD prevention strategy, and demonstrates expanded donor Treg clones can persist and expand through one-year post-HCT. NCT01795573

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published June 18, 2026
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (38)

J

Joseph A Pidala

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

N

Nicoletta Cieri

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

M

Michael J Schell

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

X

Xiaofei Song

Molecular Synthesis Center, Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Glycoscience and Glycotherapeutics, School of Medicine and Pharmacy

Y

Yiren Shao

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

B

Biwei Cao

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

D

Dongliang Du

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

R

Ram Thapa

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

B

Brian C Betts

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, United States

W

William Janssen

C

Christopher Cubitt

S

Sean J Yoder

Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

M

Mandy Flannery O'Leary

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

F

Francisca Beato

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

A

Anandharaman Veerapathran

Moffitt Cancer Center, Acton, Massachusetts, United States

M

Meghan A Menges

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

M

Michelle Burton

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

N

Nelli Bejanyan

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

O

Omar Alexis Castaneda-Puglianini

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

H

Hany Elmariah

Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States

R

Rawan G. Faramand

H

Hugo F. Fernandez

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States

D

Doris K Hansen

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

M

Michael D Jain

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

F

Farhad Khimani

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

A

Aleksandr Lazaryan

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

H

Hien D Liu

H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

F

Frederick L. Locke

A

Abu-Sayeef Mirza

6Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

A

Asmita Mishra

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, TAMPA, Florida, United States

M

Michael Nieder

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

T

Taiga Nishihori

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

L

Leonel Ochoa

Moffitt Cancer Center

L

Lia E Perez

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

F

Fabiana Perna

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

R

Reshma Ramlal

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

N

Nancy Eunice Torres

H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

C

Claudio Anasetti

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States