AUTHOR=Mytilineos Daphne , Tsamadou Chrysanthi , Neuchel Christine , Platzbecker Uwe , Bunjes Donald , Schub Natalie , Wagner-Drouet Eva , Wulf Gerald , Kröger Nicolaus , Murawski Niels , Einsele Hermann , Schaefer-Eckart Kerstin , Freitag Sebastian , Casper Jochen , Kaufmann Martin , Dürholt Mareike , Hertenstein Bernd , Klein Stefan , Ringhoffer Mark , Mueller Carlheinz R. , Frank Sandra , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Fuerst Daniel , Mytilineos Joannis TITLE=The Human Leukocyte Antigen-DPB1 Degree of Compatibility Is Determined by Its Expression Level and Mismatch Permissiveness: A German Multicenter Analysis JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=11 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.614976 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2020.614976 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

T-cell epitope matching according to the TCE3 algorithm classifies HLA-DPB1 mismatches in permissive and non-permissive. This classification has been shown to be predictive for mortality and acute GvHD (aGvHD) events in large international cohorts. We retrospectively genotyped HLA-DPB1 in 3523 patients transplanted in Germany between 2000 and 2014 and in their unrelated donors using an Illumina amplicon-NGS based assay. Aim of the study was to evaluate DP-compatibility beyond the established TCE3 algorithm by assessing the combined effect of several DP-mismatch parameters on post-transplant outcome. We implemented an extended DP-mismatch assessment model where TCE3, DP allotype expression with respect to rs9277534, mismatch vector and number of mismatches were conjointly taken into consideration. In this model, non-permissive HLA-DPB1 mismatches showed significantly increased aGvHD risk if they were accompanied by two HLA-DPB1 mismatches in GvH direction (HR: 1.46) or one mismatched highly expressed patient allotype (HR: 1.53). As previously reported, non-permissive HLA-DPB1 mismatches associated with a significantly higher risk of aGvHD and non-relapse mortality (HR 1.36 and 1.21, respectively), which in turn translated into worse GvHD and relapse free survival (HR 1.13). Effects on GvL and GvHD appeared strongest in GvH-directed non-permissive mismatches. Our study results support the consideration of additional HLA-DPB1 mismatch parameters along with the established TCE3 matching algorithm for refinement of future donor selection. In particular, our findings suggest that DP non-permissiveness associated with two HLA-DPB1 mismatches or at least on highly expressed mismatched patient allotype should be avoided.