Presensitization to HY antigens in female donors prior to transplant is not associated with male recipient post-transplant HY antibody development nor with clinical outcomes

It has been shown that chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) incidence is significantly increased in male recipients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant from female donors (F→M HCT).1,2 B cell immunity plays a critical role in cGVHD development,3,4 and we have so far investigated clinically relevant immune responses against minor antigens encoded by the Y-chromosome (HY antigens) following F→M HCT.5–7 Recently, we have demonstrated that in F→M HCT, antibody responses against HY antigens (HY-Ab) are correlated with cGVHD and that the cumulative number of HY-Abs three months post-HCT could significantly predict cGVHD development and non-relapse mortality.8