Dessicating stress triggers and exacerbates experimental ocular Graft-versus-host-disease

Chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD) is one of the most common complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). Recent studies indicate that desiccating stress by air-conditioning in transplantation wards increases the incidence of oGVHD. To test the hypothesis that experimental desiccating stress is a risk factor for oGVHD a mouse model of oGVHD was subjected to experimental desiccating stress.

A previously established chemo-induced minor-mismatch mouse model of oGVHD was used. One group was challenged with desiccating stress for 18 days and compared to non-desiccated GVHD animals. Clinical phenotyping was performed weekly and ocular tissue and regional lymph nodes were collected on days 7 and 28 for flow-cytometry, tear film cytokine analysis, histology for corneal lymphatics and dendritic cell counts, and corneal gene expression.

Desiccating stress leads to significant earlier and more severe systemic and oGVHD accompanied by higher numbers of activated corneal dendritic cells, higher expression of TNF in tear film and earlier corneal lymphangiogenesis. Gene expression analysis suggests that systemic GVHD severity may influence oGVHD. Different inflammatory pathways are upregulated at d28 following desiccating stress in contrast to non-desiccated GVHD.

The data presented strengthens the hypothesis, that desiccating stress during aHSCT is a risk factor for oGVHD. Together with already published clinical data, there is increasing evidence that implicates protecting patients from desiccation during the engraftment of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells. Furthermore, specific prophylactic therapies should be developed and tested to reduce the incidence and severity of oGVHD.