Abstract
PURPOSE: The existence of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis is conflicting, and such antibodies were also detected in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). We therefore aimed to screen for PDGF receptor autoantibodies in patients with chronic GvHD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated the existence of PDGF receptor autoantibodies in 39 patients, while 17 patients presented with a limited and 8 patients with an extensive chronic GvHD, respectively. Furthermore, 14 out of 39 patients had no chronic GvHD. RESULTS: We detected at least low levels of PDGF receptor autoantibodies in nearly all (35 of 39) patients after allogeneic PBSCT. Interestingly, only one of six patients with high levels of PDGF receptor autoantibodies presented with an extensive chronic GvHD, while the remaining six patients had no clinical signs of chronic GvHD. Thus, there was no correlation between the quantitative detection of antibodies directed against the PDGF receptor and the presence or severity of chronic GvHD. CONCLUSION: Platelet-derived growth factor receptor autoantibodies could easily be detected in patient sera. Nevertheless, we did not observe any correlation between the presence of PDGF receptor autoantibodies and the severity of chronic GvHD in patients who underwent allogeneic PBSCT.