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Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by the production of pathogenic anti-nuclear antibodies. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that the introgression of a New Zealand Black-derived chromosome 4 interval onto a lupus-prone background suppresses the disease. Interestingly, the same genetic interval promoted the expansion of both Natural Killer T- and CD5+ B cells in suppressed mice. In this study, we show that ablation of NKT cells with a CD1d knockout had no impact on either the suppression of lupus or the expansion of CD5+ B cells. On the other hand, suppressed mice had an expanded population of IL-10-producing B cells that predominantly localized to the CD5+CD1dlow compartment. The expansion of CD5+ B cells negatively correlated with the frequency of pro-inflammatory IL-17 A-producing T-cells and kidney damage. Adoptive transfer with a single injection of total B cells with an enriched CD5+ compartment reduced the frequency of memory/activated, IFNγ-producing, and IL-17 A-producing CD4 T-cells but did not significantly reduce autoantibody levels. Taken together, these data suggest that the expansion of CD5+ IL-10-producing B cells and not NKT cells protects against lupus in these mice, by limiting the expansion of pro-inflammatory IL-17 A- and IFNγ-producing CD4 T-cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) has required prolonged in-patient hospitalization due to the effects of mucosal toxicity and prolonged cytopenias. We explored the safety and feasibility of outpatient management of these patients. A total of 100 consecutive patients underwent a matched-related donor myeloablative allogeneic HSCT for a hematologic malignancy at a single institution. Patients were hospitalized briefly for stem-cell infusion and thereafter only for complications more safely managed in the in-patient setting. The median hospital length of stay from the start of the preparative regimen to day +30 and day +100 post-transplant was 12 and 15 days, respectively. Planned hospital discharge occurred in 79 patients after stem cell infusion. Patients were readmitted to hospital at median of day +7 post transplant, with neutropenic fever being the primary cause for readmission. In total, 18 patients required no in-patient care in the first 100 days. Non-relapse mortality at day 100 and 6 months was 10 and 15%, respectively, for all patients, and 0 and 5%, respectively, for standard risk patients. In summary, outpatient myeloablative allogeneic HSCT with expectant in-patient management can be accomplished safely with low treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Clinical outcomes seem comparable to those reported for traditional in-patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that reviewed the epidemiology of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the University of Florida with specific attention to the time of onset and survival. Risk factors for IA; Effects of transplantation techniques; Effectiveness of antifungal strategies employed in the interim; Risk factors which could be incorporated into the design of future prevention and treatment strategies.