Assessment of ST2 and Reg3a levels in patients with acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND/AIM: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a crucial complication leading to significant morbidity and mortality allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation which occurs in approximately half of the transplant recipients. Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and regenerating islet-derived 3-alpha(Reg3a) might be important biomarkers to predict acute GVHD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, blood samples were collected from 17 patients with acute GVHD and 12 control patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. ST2 and Reg3a were measured in plasma samples compared in patients with acute GVHD and the controls. RESULTS: Median age of the study population was 42 years (range 19–49). When compared to controls, the mean ST2 levels was significant higher in acute GVHD (9794 ng/dL vs. 2646 ng/dL, P = 0.008). Mean Reg3a level did not show significant difference between control and acute GVHD group (8848 ng/dL vs. 5632 ng/dL, respectively, P = 0.190). CONCLUSION: The ST2 level might be used as a significant biomarker for predicting acute GVHD.