Stable engraftment of allogeneic T lymphocytes in a patient with severe combined immunodeficiency following a transfusion with unirradiated blood. Specific recognition of host histocompatibility antigens and engraftment failure of a bone marrow transplant HLA-identical to the host.
We have analyzed the immunocompetence of blood donor-derived, allogeneic T cells that had engrafted in a patient with severe combined immunodeficiency following transfusion with unirradiated blood. The blood donor T cells multiply and persist in the patients' bone marrow and peripheral blood over several months without leading to a graft-versus-host disease. The allogeneic T cells can be expanded in vitro and restimulated by cells expressing host HLA-DR antigens. The presence of blood donor-derived T cells prevented engraftment of a bone marrow graft from an HLA-identical sibling; in contrast, engraftment and immunological reconstitution by bone marrow donor-derived cells was seen following elimination of the allogeneic T cells in vivo. We conclude that the allogeneic T cells sensitized against host histocompatibility antigens were responsible for bone marrow graft failure, even though this sensitization did not lead to a graft-versus-host disease.
Knobloch
C
C
Department of Pediatrics II, University of Ulm, Federal Republic of Germany.
Goldmann
S F
SF
Lattke
H
H
Friedrich
W
W
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000637:transplantation*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens