Allorecognition and graft-versus-host disease.
The development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is mediated by alloreactive donor T lymphocytes infused with the bone marrow (BM) inoculum. Over the past few years, knowledge about the molecular basis of antigen (Ag) recognition, tolerance induction and activation of alloreactive T lymphocytes has increased remarkably. Recent observations also challenged the traditional view of the role and significance of various alloreactive T cell subsets and their particular effector cell functions involved in the generation of GVHD. New information which emerged from these studies has a major impact in understanding the immunobiology of GVHD. It also has important practical consequences, such as the successful prediction of GVHD before allogeneic BMT by the measurement of recipient-specific alloreactivity. The current concepts of the molecular basis of allorecognition, tolerance induction and T cell activation could be important in developing strategies to avoid GVHD while preserving a graft-versus-leukemia response.
Theobald
M
M
Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte