%0 Journal Article
%T Interleukin-15 Affects Patient Survival through Natural Killer Cell Recovery after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas
%A Luis F. Porrata
%A David J. Inwards
%A Ivana N. Micallef
%A Patrick B. Johnston
%A Stephen M. Ansell
%A William J. Hogan
%A Svetomir N. Markovic
%J Clinical and Developmental Immunology
%D 2010
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2010/914945
%X Natural killer cells at day 15 (NK-15), after autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APHSCT), is a prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The potential role of the immunologic (homeostatic) environment affecting NK-15 recovery and survival post-APHSCT has not been fully studied. Therefore, we evaluate prospectively the cytokine profile in 50 NHL patients treated with APHSCT. Patients with an interleukin-15 (IL-15)¡Ý76.5 pg/mL at day 15 post-APHSCT experienced superior OS and PFS compared with those who did not; median OS; not reached versus 19.2 months, <.002; and median PFS; not reached versus 6.8 months, <.002, respectively. IL-15 was found to correlate with (=0.7, <.0001) NK-15. Multivariate analysis showed only NK-15 as a prognostic factor for survival, suggesting that the survival benefit observed by IL-15 is most likely mediated by enhanced NK cell recovery post-APHSCT.
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cdi/2010/914945/