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Since 1999, the Aloreactivity Unit has been working in the analysis of the immune phenomenons leading to the graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Classically, our projects have been focused on histocompatibility and chimerism.
We have performed several multicentric studies in collaboration with the Spanish Group of Hematopoietic Transplant (GETH), in order to clarify the relevance of genetic mismatches between donor and recipient and the occurrence of GvHD. Our studies have demonstrated an association between minor histocompatibility antigens HA-1 and HA-8 with acute GvHD after allogeneic stem cel transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling donor. Moreover, we have identified the presence of a mismatch in HLA-DPB1(which is not routinely typed) and an increased risk of acute GvHD.
We have also initiate the prospective collection of DNA samples from donor and recipient for allogeneic transplants performed at centers collaborating with the GETH. This work will allow us to perform future studies on histocompatibility, and this project has been financed by two grants from the “Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias: FIS” (Health Ministery).
As a result of this activity, several papers have been published in international scientific journals.
We have also focused in the study of hematopoietic chimerism after solid organ transplantation. To perform this project, we received a grant from the “Marató TV3” 1999 and we have collaborated with the nephrology and cardiology departments of the Bellvitge Hospital. Our results suggest that patients with hematopoietic microchimerism have a lower probability of graft rejection.
We are also working in the study of genetic markers of minimal residual disease in acute leukemia. Recently we have received a grant “Marató TV3” 2004 and a FIS project to perform the analysis of the expression of the Wilms Tumour gene (WT1) as a panleukemic marker and as a predictor of leukemic relapse. This project allow us to collaborate with the Catalan Group for the Study and Treatment of Leukemia and Myelodysplasia (CETLAM).