Evaluation of therapeutic targeting of CCR7 in acute graft-versus-host disease

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the main complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We previously unveiled a correlation between proportions of C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) + T cells in the apheresis and the risk of developing GVHD. We wanted to evaluate in vivo whether apheresis with low proportion of CCR7 + cells or treatment with an anti-human CCR7 monoclonal antibody (mAb) were suitable strategies to prevent or treat acute GVHD in preclinical xenogeneic models. Therapeutic anti-CCR7 mAb was the most effective strategy in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings where antibody drastically reduced in vivo lymphoid organ infiltration of donor CCR7 + T cells, extended lifespan and solved clinical signs. The antibody neutralized in vitro migration of naïve and central memory T cells toward CCR7 ligands and depleted target CCR7 + subsets through complement activation. Both mechanisms of action spared CCR7 − subsets, including effector memory and effector memory CD45RA + T cells which may mediate graft versus leukemia effect and immunity against infections. Accordingly, the numbers of donor CCR7 + T cells in the apheresis were not associated to cytomegalovirus reactivation or the recurrence of the underlying disease. These findings provide a promising new strategy to prevent and treat acute GVHD, a condition where new specific, safety and effective treatment is needed.