Defu Zeng Lab

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for hematological malignancies and hereditary disorders as well as refractory autoimmune diseases. Induction of mixed chimerism via allogeneic HCT is also one of the most reliable approaches for induction of organ transplantation tolerance. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major obstacle in classical HCT, in which recipients are required to be conditioned with total body irradiation (TBI) or high dose chemotherapy in order to allow donor stem cell engraftment. Recent studies have shown that tissue damage and activation of tissue dendritic cells caused by conditioning TBI or chemotherapy plays a critical role in induction of GVHD.

One of the research projects in the Zeng lab is to understand the pathogenesis of GVHD, in which donor T cells infiltrate the target tissues and mediate damage. Based on the clinical features, GVHD can be divided into acute and chronic GVHD. New immunosuppressants have been effective in preventing acute but not chronic GVHD. The latter remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality of long-term survivors of classical HCT, and there has been no improvement in treating chronic GVHD over the past three decades, due to the poor understanding of its pathogenesis.

We have recently developed new mouse models of chronic GVHD that can reflect the pathogenesis in humans. We are currently dissecting the role of allo- and auto-reactive CD4+ T (Th1, Th2 and Th17), Treg cells, APCs (dendritic and B cells), as well as autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD. We are currently testing whether depletion of donor CD4+ T cells and/or B cells early after HCT can prevent chronic GVHD. These studies will provide new insights into chronic GVHD pathogenesis and lead to the development of novel therapies for patients.

Another project is to develop a radiation-free GVHD preventative conditioning regimen for induction of mixed chimerism for the therapy of autoimmune diseases (e.g., type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and lupus). We have observed that induction of mixed chimerism results in reversal of autoimmunity, elimination of insulitis, and beta cell regeneration in overt diabetic NOD mice. We are dissecting the mechanisms whereby mixed chimerism reverses autoimmunity. We are also tracing the origin of beta cell regeneration after reversal of autoimmunity. Our studies will provide new insights into transplantation biology and promote the application of HCT as a curative therapy not only for patients with hematological malignancies but also for patients with variety of refractory autoimmune diseases.

To view Defu Zeng's lab publications, please click below.