start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=15 cd-vols= no-issue=3 article-no= start-page=974 end-page=979 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2022 dt-pub=20221108 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Sequential Combination of FLAM and Venetoclax plus Azacitidine to Bridge to Cord Blood Transplantation in a Patient with Primary Induction Failure Acute Myeloid Leukemia en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Venetoclax (VEN) is an oral B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitor that has been widely used to treat various hematological disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that VEN in combination with fludarabine-enhanced high-dose cytarabine (FLA) is effective for treating relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In the combination therapy, salvage chemotherapy and VEN are basically concurrently administrated; however, further optimization may enable the treatment to apply to larger numbers of patients with various clinical backgrounds. Here, we describe a case of refractory AML treated with a sequential combination of the intensive chemotherapy (fludarabine, cytarabine, and mitoxantrone; FLAM) and VEN/AZA to bridge to an unrelated cord blood transplantation (uCBT). By continuously adding VEN/AZA after FLAM, the patient achieved morphologic leukemia free state with only minor toxicities. Blood cell counts did not recover until the time of transplantation because of the deep myelosuppression caused by the treatment sequence, but the infection risk was safely managed during this period. After engraftment, maintenance therapy with VEN/AZA was performed, and the patient has survived without disease recurrence for over 9 months after transplantation. Our case suggests that bridging therapy with VEN and AZA from the time of the last chemotherapy to allogeneic transplantation may provide an effective and tolerable treatment strategy for refractory AML. Further studies of larger numbers of cases are needed to validate the effectiveness of this treatment. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MurakamiHiroyuki en-aut-sei=Murakami en-aut-mei=Hiroyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsuokaKen-Ichi en-aut-sei=Matsuoka en-aut-mei=Ken-Ichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=AsanoTakeru en-aut-sei=Asano en-aut-mei=Takeru kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=MoriyamaTakashi en-aut-sei=Moriyama en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsumuraAkifumi en-aut-sei=Matsumura en-aut-mei=Akifumi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujiwaraHideaki en-aut-sei=Fujiwara en-aut-mei=Hideaki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=AsadaNoboru en-aut-sei=Asada en-aut-mei=Noboru kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=EnnishiDaisuke en-aut-sei=Ennishi en-aut-mei=Daisuke kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=NishimoriHisakazu en-aut-sei=Nishimori en-aut-mei=Hisakazu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujiiKeiko en-aut-sei=Fujii en-aut-mei=Keiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=10 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujiiNobuharu en-aut-sei=Fujii en-aut-mei=Nobuharu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=11 ORCID= en-aut-name=TojiTomohiro en-aut-sei=Toji en-aut-mei=Tomohiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=12 ORCID= en-aut-name=YoshinoTadashi en-aut-sei=Yoshino en-aut-mei=Tadashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=13 ORCID= en-aut-name=MaedaYoshinobu en-aut-sei=Maeda en-aut-mei=Yoshinobu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=14 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=10 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=11 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=12 en-affil=Department of Pathology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=13 en-affil=Department of Pathology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=14 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= en-keyword=Refractory acute myeloid leukemia kn-keyword=Refractory acute myeloid leukemia en-keyword=Transplant kn-keyword=Transplant en-keyword=B-cell lymphoma-2 kn-keyword=B-cell lymphoma-2 en-keyword=Azacitidine kn-keyword=Azacitidine en-keyword=Venetoclax kn-keyword=Venetoclax END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=13 cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=891925 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2022 dt-pub=20220802 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Responses of regulatory and effector T-cells to low-dose interleukin-2 differ depending on the immune environment after allogeneic stem cell transplantation en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a central role in the maintenance of immune tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Tregs promptly respond to low concentrations of IL-2 through the constitutive expression of high-affinity IL-2 receptors. It has been reported that low-dose IL-2 therapy increased circulating Tregs and improved clinical symptoms of chronic GVHD. Clinical studies of IL-2 therapy so far have mainly targeted patients in the chronic phase of transplantation when acute immune responses has subsided. However, the biological and clinical effects of exogenous IL-2 in an acute immune environment have not been well investigated. In the current study, we investigated the impact of exogenous IL-2 therapy on the post-transplant homeostasis of T cell subsets which influence the balance between GVHD and GVL in the acute phase, by setting the various immune environments early after HSCT in murine model. We initially found that 5,000 IU of IL-2 was enough to induce the active proliferation of Treg without influencing other conventional T cells (Tcons) when administered to normal mice. However, activated Tcons showed the response to the same dose of IL-2 in recipients after allogeneic HSCT. In a mild inflammatory environment within a threshold, exogenous IL-2 could effectively modulate Treg homeostasis with just limited influence to activated T cells, which resulted in an efficient GVHD suppression. In contrast, in a severely inflammatory environment, exogenous IL-2 enhanced activated T cells rather than Tregs, which resulted in the exacerbation of GVHD. Of interest, in an immune-tolerant state after transplant, exogenous IL-2 triggered effector T-cells to exert an anti-tumor effect with maintaining GVHD suppression. These data suggested that the responses of Tregs and effector T cells to exogenous IL-2 differ depending on the immune environment in the host, and the mutual balance of the response to IL-2 between T-cell subsets modulates GVHD and GVL after HSCT. Our findings may provide useful information in the optimization of IL-2 therapy, which may be personalized for each patient having different immune status. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MeguriYusuke en-aut-sei=Meguri en-aut-mei=Yusuke kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=AsanoTakeru en-aut-sei=Asano en-aut-mei=Takeru kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=YoshiokaTakanori en-aut-sei=Yoshioka en-aut-mei=Takanori kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=IwamotoMiki en-aut-sei=Iwamoto en-aut-mei=Miki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=IkegawaShuntaro en-aut-sei=Ikegawa en-aut-mei=Shuntaro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=SugiuraHiroyuki en-aut-sei=Sugiura en-aut-mei=Hiroyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=KishiYuriko en-aut-sei=Kishi en-aut-mei=Yuriko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=NakamuraMakoto en-aut-sei=Nakamura en-aut-mei=Makoto kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=SandoYasuhisa en-aut-sei=Sando en-aut-mei=Yasuhisa kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= en-aut-name=KondoTakumi en-aut-sei=Kondo en-aut-mei=Takumi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=10 ORCID= en-aut-name=SumiiYuichi en-aut-sei=Sumii en-aut-mei=Yuichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=11 ORCID= en-aut-name=MaedaYoshinobu en-aut-sei=Maeda en-aut-mei=Yoshinobu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=12 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsuokaKen-Ichi en-aut-sei=Matsuoka en-aut-mei=Ken-Ichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=13 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=10 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=11 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=12 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=13 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= en-keyword=regulatory T cell kn-keyword=regulatory T cell en-keyword=low-dose interleukin-2 therapy kn-keyword=low-dose interleukin-2 therapy en-keyword=graft-versus-host disease kn-keyword=graft-versus-host disease en-keyword=graft-versus-leukemia effect kn-keyword=graft-versus-leukemia effect en-keyword=transplantation tolerance kn-keyword=transplantation tolerance END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=70 cd-vols= no-issue=5 article-no= start-page=429 end-page=433 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2016 dt-pub=201610 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Phase I/IIa Study of Low Dose Subcutaneous Interleukin-2 (IL-2) for Treatment of Refractory Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) remains a major problem for long survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Currently, corticosteroid therapy is effective for cGVHD as the first line therapy. However, prolonged therapy with corticosteroids causes various severe adverse events. To develop the new therapeutic strategy of cGVHD, we have launched a multicenter phase I/IIa clinical trial of low dose subcutaneous interleukin-2 (IL-2) for treatment of steroid refractory cGVHD, which is constituted of 2 sequential phases (induction phase and maitanance phase). This study will provide the new therapeutic option for patients with refractory cGVHD after allogeneic HSCT. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=AsanoTakeru en-aut-sei=Asano en-aut-mei=Takeru kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsuokaKen-ichi en-aut-sei=Matsuoka en-aut-mei=Ken-ichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=IyamaSatoshi en-aut-sei=Iyama en-aut-mei=Satoshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=OhashiKazuteru en-aut-sei=Ohashi en-aut-mei=Kazuteru kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=InamotoYoshihiro en-aut-sei=Inamoto en-aut-mei=Yoshihiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=OhwadaChikako en-aut-sei=Ohwada en-aut-mei=Chikako kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=MurataMakoto en-aut-sei=Murata en-aut-mei=Makoto kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=SatakeAtsushi en-aut-sei=Satake en-aut-mei=Atsushi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=YoshidaChikamasa en-aut-sei=Yoshida en-aut-mei=Chikamasa kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= en-aut-name=NakaseKoichi en-aut-sei=Nakase en-aut-mei=Koichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=10 ORCID= en-aut-name=MoriYasuo en-aut-sei=Mori en-aut-mei=Yasuo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=11 ORCID= en-aut-name=TanimotoMitsune en-aut-sei=Tanimoto en-aut-mei=Mitsune kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=12 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Sapporo Medical University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Hematology division, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center, Komagome Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Cancer Center Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Department of Hematology, Chiba University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Division of Hematology, National Hospital Organization Minami-Okayama Medical Center kn-affil= affil-num=10 en-affil=Division of Hematology, Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=11 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyushu University Hospital kn-affil= affil-num=12 en-affil=Department of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University Hospital kn-affil= en-keyword=chronic GVHD kn-keyword=chronic GVHD en-keyword=allogeneic HSCT kn-keyword=allogeneic HSCT en-keyword=steroid refractory kn-keyword=steroid refractory en-keyword=IL-2 kn-keyword=IL-2 END