AUTHOR=Kawashima-Vasconcelos Marianna Y. , Santana-Gonçalves Maynara , Zanin-Silva Djúlio C. , Malmegrim Kelen C. R. , Oliveira Maria Carolina 

TITLE=Reconstitution of the immune system and clinical correlates after stem cell transplantation for systemic sclerosis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.941011

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.941011

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that includes fibrosis, diffuse vasculopathy, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is considered for patients with severe and progressive SSc. In recent decades, knowledge about patient management and clinical outcomes after AHSCT has significantly improved. Mechanistic studies have contributed to increasing the comprehension of how profound and long-lasting are the modifications to the immune system induced by transplantation. This review revisits the immune monitoring studies after AHSCT for SSc patients and how they relate to clinical outcomes. This understanding is essential to further improve clinical applications of AHSCT and enhance patient outcomes.