Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency: an EBMT-IEWP retrospective study

U Uli S. Herrmann (1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland) M Matthias Felber (1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland) A Austen Worth (4Department of Immunology and Gene Therapy, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom) S Sule Haskologlu (5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey) F Figen Dogu (5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey) V Victor A. Lewis (25Department of Pediatric Oncology and Transplant, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada) B Brigitte Strahm (7Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Children’s Hospital, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany) A Andreas Groll A Andrew R. Gennery (Newcastle University) F Fabian Hauck (10Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) R Robert Wynn (11Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom) M Mary Coussons (11Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom) I Isabelle Meyts C Caroline Lindemans (14Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Princess Máxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands) V Victoria Bordon (16Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium) R Robbert G. M. Bredius (17Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands) J Jörn-Sven Kühl (18Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Hemostaseology, Leipzig University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany) M Mirjam Völler (19Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany) F Felix Zirngibl I Irina Zaidman (21Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel) A Alexandra Laberko (22Department of Immunology, Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, Russia) U Ulrike Zeilhofer (1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland) M Mathias Hauri-Hohl (1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland) A Arjan Lankester (23Willem-Alexander Children's Hospital, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands) A Aydan Ikinciogullari (5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey) G Gregory M. T. Guilcher (6Department of Pediatric Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, Canada) A Annette Hackenberg A Akif Yeşilipek (4Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Antalya Medical Park Hospital, Antalya, Turkey) G Graham Davies (4Department of Immunology and Gene Therapy, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom) K Kanchan Rao (26Department of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom) M Michael Steven Hershfield (27Division of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC) S Suhag H. Parikh (28Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA) P Patrick Gilbert (30European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Leiden Study Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands) C Claudia Bettoni da Cunha Riehm (31Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany) M Michael H. Albert (10Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) A Ansgar S. Schulz (32Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany) M Manfred Hönig (32Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany) B Bénédicte Neven T Tayfun Güngör (12Department of Hematology/Oncology/Immunology, Gene Therapy, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Eleonore Foundation and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Abstract Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) deficiency causes inadequate purine metabolite detoxification, which leads to combined immunodeficiency and variable neurologic symptoms. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) cures the immunodeficiency, but large studies on the long-term outcomes are lacking. In a retrospective study of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, we investigated 46 patients with PNP deficiency from 21 centers. We analyzed the presenting clinical signs and outcomes after HSCT. Cognition (0-3), hearing (0-3), interaction (0-4), movement (0-4), and occupation (0-3) (CHIMO) were scored at the last follow-up (FU) visit (no impairment, 17; mild, 15-16; moderate, 12-14; and severe impairment, <12). The median age at initial presentation was 7.5 (1-48) months. The patients presented with infections (41%), neurological dysfunction (39%), both (15%), or autoimmune disease (5%). At the time of HSCT (median age, 26 [2-192] months), neurological abnormalities were observed in 88% of patients. After a median FU of 7.9 (1.0-22.3) years, 40 patients were alive with a 3-year overall survival (OS)/event-free survival (EFS) probabilities of 86% (confidence interval [CI], 77%-97%)/75% (CI, 64%-89%), respectively. High-level (>50%-100%)/low-level donor chimerism (11%-50%) was observed in 85%/15% of patients, respectively, leading to resolution of T lymphopenia. The median overall CHIMO score was 14 (6-17), while the median scores for each component were 3 (0-3), 3 (1-3), 4 (1-4), 3 (1-4), and 2 (0-3), respectively. Patients who underwent HSCT before 24 months after the initial presentation demonstrated superior OS (P = .049). Neurological symptoms that occurred before 11 months of age were associated with reduced OS (P = .027). While the overall results were satisfactory, earlier diagnosis could further improve outcomes.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 147, Issue 2
Published January 08, 2026
Pages 138-163
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (39)

U

Uli S. Herrmann

1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

M

Matthias Felber

1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

A

Austen Worth

4Department of Immunology and Gene Therapy, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom

S

Sule Haskologlu

5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey

F

Figen Dogu

5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey

V

Victor A. Lewis

25Department of Pediatric Oncology and Transplant, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

B

Brigitte Strahm

7Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Children’s Hospital, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

A

Andreas Groll

A

Andrew R. Gennery

Newcastle University

F

Fabian Hauck

10Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

R

Robert Wynn

11Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom

M

Mary Coussons

11Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom

I

Isabelle Meyts

C

Caroline Lindemans

14Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Princess Máxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands

V

Victoria Bordon

16Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

R

Robbert G. M. Bredius

17Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

J

Jörn-Sven Kühl

18Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Hemostaseology, Leipzig University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany

M

Mirjam Völler

19Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany

F

Felix Zirngibl

I

Irina Zaidman

21Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

A

Alexandra Laberko

22Department of Immunology, Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, Russia

U

Ulrike Zeilhofer

1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

M

Mathias Hauri-Hohl

1Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

A

Arjan Lankester

23Willem-Alexander Children's Hospital, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

A

Aydan Ikinciogullari

5Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey

G

Gregory M. T. Guilcher

6Department of Pediatric Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, Canada

A

Annette Hackenberg

A

Akif Yeşilipek

4Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Antalya Medical Park Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

G

Graham Davies

4Department of Immunology and Gene Therapy, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom

K

Kanchan Rao

26Department of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom

M

Michael Steven Hershfield

27Division of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

S

Suhag H. Parikh

28Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

P

Patrick Gilbert

30European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Leiden Study Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands

C

Claudia Bettoni da Cunha Riehm

31Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany

M

Michael H. Albert

10Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

A

Ansgar S. Schulz

32Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany

M

Manfred Hönig

32Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany

B

Bénédicte Neven

T

Tayfun Güngör

12Department of Hematology/Oncology/Immunology, Gene Therapy, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Eleonore Foundation and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland