Polymorphism in TGFB1 is associated with worse non-relapse mortality and overall survival after stem cell transplantation with unrelated donors

Transforming growth factor β-1, encoded by the TGFB1 gene, is a cytokine that plays a central role in many physiological and pathogenic processes. We have sequenced TGFB1 regulatory region and assigned allelic genotypes in a large cohort of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and donors. In this study, we analyzed 522 unrelated donor-patient pairs and examined the combined effect of all the common polymorphisms in this genomic region. In univariate analysis, we found that patients carrying a specific allele, ‘p001’, showed significantly reduced overall survival (5-year overall survival 30.7% for p001/p001 patients vs . 41.6% others; P =0.032) and increased non-relapse mortality (1-year non-relapse mortality: 39.0% vs . 25.4%; P =0.039) after transplantation. In multivariate analysis, the presence of a p001/p001 genotype in patients was confirmed as an independent factor for reduced overall survival [hazard ratio=1.53 (1.04–2.24); P =0.031], and increased non-relapse mortality [hazard ratio=1.73 (1.06–2.83); P =0.030]. In functional experiments we found a trend towards a higher percentage of surface transforming growth factor β-1-positive regulatory T cells after activation when the cells had a p001 allele ( P =0.07). Higher or lower production of transforming growth factor β-1 in the inflammatory context of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may influence the development of complications in these patients. Findings indicate that TGFB1 genotype could potentially be of use as a prognostic factor in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation risk assessment algorithms.