[IL-18 single nucleotide polymorphisms in hematologic malignancies with HLA matched sibling donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of interleukin-18 (IL-18) single nucleotide polymorphisms on outcomes of hematologic malignancies with HLA-matched sibling donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). METHODS: Single- nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-18 promoter was detected by PCR-sequence-specific primer analysis (PCR-SSP) in 93 recipients and their HLA matched sibling donors. Hematopoietic reconstitution, incidences of graft versus host disease (GVHD) and infections, transplant related mortality (TRM), and disease free survival (DFS) were analyzed. RESULTS: In comparison with -137 G/C+C/C donor genotype, patients with -137 G/G donor genotype had shorter duration of neutrophil recovery [15(11-23) days vs 17(11-24) days, P=0.01], higher incidence of extensive chronic GVHD (20.6% vs 3.3%, P=0.029), but no difference in the interval of platelet recovery [20(11-46) days vs 20(7-38) days, P=0.844]. The incidence of extensive chronic GVHD in -607 C/C donor genotype (31.6%) was significantly higher than that (10.8%) in C/A + A/A donor genotype (P=0.024). Recipients with -607 C/C genotype also had higher incidence (33.3%) of extensive chronic GVHD than those with C/A+A/A genotype (10.7%, P=0.016). There were no differences in acute GVHD, TRM, and DFS between different genotypes. CONCLUSION: IL-18 -137 G homozygous genotype in donor facilitated neutrophil reconstitution, but increased the risk of extensive chronic GVHD in patients with allo-HSCT.