Clinical impact of human Jurkat T-cell-line-derived antithymocyte globulin in multiple myeloma patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation

1 Department. of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany 2 Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Salamanca, Spain 3 Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel 4 Department of Hematology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain 5 Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, DKD-Clinic, Wiesbaden, Germany 6 Department of Oncology and Hematology, University of Jena, Germany 7 Hospital de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain 8 Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain 9 Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany Correspondence: Nicolaus Kröger, Dept of Stem cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany E-mail: nkroeger{at}uke.uni-hamburg.de Background: Antithymocyte globulin or human Jurkat T-cell-line-derived antilymphocyte globulin is used in allogeneic stem cell transplantation to induce in vivo T-cell depletion to facilitate engraftment and lower graft-versus-host disease. In vitro studies suggest that antithymocyte globulin, besides causing T-cell depletion, has strong anti-myeloma activity. Design and Methods: We evaluated the anti-myeloma activity of antilymphocyte globulin in a melphalan/fludarabine-based reduced intensity conditioning regimen as well as the incidence of graft-versus-host disease in 138 multiple myeloma patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation with (n=79) or without (n=59) antilymphocyte globulin. Results: Leukocyte and platelet engraftment were faster in the group not receiving antilymphocyte globulin (13 vs. 16 days, p