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Published on: October 3, 2018
Successful Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in a Patient with Omenn Syndrome: A Case Report
Bibi Shahin Shamsian1, Amirreza Paksaz, Zahra Chavoshzadeh
1From the Pediatric Congenital Hematologic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Children's Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Omenn syndrome, a severe combined immunodeficiency, presents with infections and organomegaly. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant offers a cure for this condition, improving patient survival with early diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Omenn syndrome is a rare, severe combined immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent infections, skin eruptions, and organomegaly.
- Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing Omenn syndrome and preventing severe complications.
Observation:
- A 3-month-old infant with Omenn syndrome presented with splenomegaly, erythroderma, failure to thrive, recurrent infections, and hypothyroidism.
- Immunologic workup revealed lymphopenia, low T-cell counts, normal B-cell and NK-cell counts, hypogammaglobulinemia, and elevated immunoglobulin E.
- Genetic analysis identified a homozygous missense mutation (c.617G>A, p.Arg206Gln) in the IL7R gene.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with T-B+NK+ severe combined immunodeficiency.
- A matched unrelated donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant was performed with a reduced intensity conditioning regimen.
- Post-transplant, the patient showed clinical improvement with 100% donor chimerism at one year.
Implications:
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative therapy for Omenn syndrome.
- Early diagnosis and timely transplantation can significantly improve outcomes and survival rates for affected infants.
- Understanding the genetic basis, like IL7R mutations, aids in diagnosing and managing Omenn syndrome.
Abstract:
Omenn syndrome is a rare subtype of severe combined immunodeficiency. Affected patients present recurrent infections, lymphadenopathy, skin eruptions, eosinophilia, hepatosplenomegaly, failure to thrive, and gastrointestinal complications with variable severity. A 3-month-old female infant, born to consanguineous healthy parents, presented with splenomegaly, erythroderma, failure to thrive, and history of recurrent otitis media, hypothyroidism, and Bacille Calmette-Guérin lymphadenitis following Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination.The immunologic workup showed lymphopenia; low levels of CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells; normal levels of CD19+ B cells and CD16+/CD56+ natural killer cells; hypogammaglobulinemia; and a high level of serum immunoglobulin E. She was clinically diagnosed with T-B+NK+ severe combined immunodeficiency. Genetic study revealed a missense homozygous alteration (c.617G>A, p.Arg206Gln) in exon 5 of the IL7R gene in the patient, as well as carrier states for the same variant in both parents. The patient received a peripheral blood stem cell transplant from a matched unrelated donor. A reduced intensity conditioning regimen was applied, including fludarabine, melphalan, rabbit antithymocyte globulin, and graft- versus-host disease prophylaxis by cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil. She clinically improved, and after engraftment the donor chimerism was 100% at 1 year after transplant. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantis a curative therapeutic option for patients with Omenn syndrome and, when combined with an early diagnosis, can prevent complications and improve patient survival.
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