Analysis of Intestinal Defensin Expression in Patients With Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD)

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Acute GVHD is characterized by complex deficiencies of the mucosal antimicrobial barrier and intestinal dysbiosis, which contribute to disease pathogenesis. Defensins are endogenous epithelial cell-derived antimicrobial peptides, which can protect epithelial barrier integrity, shape the intestinal microbiota composition and contribute to host immunoregulation. Deregulated expression of defensins has been reported in patients with colitis, including Chron's Disease and ulcerative colitis.

In this study, the investigators aim to analyze the expression of defensins in the intestine of patients with acute GVHD to study whether it is deregulated. The results will be valuable to study the role of defensins during acute GVHD pathogenesis or as potential biomarkers for disease activity.