Association study of candidate DNA-repair gene variants and acute graft versus host disease in pediatric patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation

Acute Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD) grades 2–4 occurs in 15–60% of pediatric patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The collateral damage to normal tissue by conditioning regimens administered prior to allo-HSCT serve as an initial trigger for aGvHD. DNA-repair mechanisms may play an important role in mitigating this initial damage, and so the variants in corresponding DNA-repair protein-coding genes via affecting their quantity and/or function. We explored 51 variants within 17 DNA-repair genes for their association with aGvHD grades 2–4 in 60 pediatric patients. The cumulative incidence of aGvHD 2–4 was 12% (n = 7) in the exploratory cohort. MGMT rs10764881 (G>A) and EXO rs9350 (c.2270C>T) variants were associated with aGvHD 2–4 [Odds ratios = 14.8 (0 events out of 40 in rs10764881 GG group) and 11.5 (95% CI: 2.3–191.8), respectively, multiple testing corrected p ≤ 0.001]. Upon evaluation in an extended cohort (n = 182) with an incidence of aGvHD 2–4 of 22% (n = 40), only MGMT rs10764881 (G>A) remained significant (adjusted HR = 2.05 [95% CI: 1.06–3.94]; p = 0.03) in the presence of other clinical risk factors. Higher MGMT expression was seen in GG carriers for rs10764881 and was associated with higher IC50 of Busulfan in lymphoblastoid cells. MGMT rs10764881 carrier status could predict aGvHD occurrence in pediatric patients undergoing allo-HSCT.