title: Herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HStk) transgenic donor lymphocytes.
abstract: Patients with recurrent leukemia after an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant may be treated with donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI). The transfusion of lymphocytes from the original hematopoietic stem cell donor induces remission in approximately one third of relapsed AML cases and 80% of relapsed CML. DLI may be complicated by delayed and sometimes lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In an attempt to avoid this complication, several centers have initiated DLI trials in which the infused lymphocytes carry a suicide gene, herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HStk), which confers sensitivity to ganciclovir (GCV). In the event of severe GVHD, administration of GCV should terminate or ameliorate GVHD.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University School of Medicine, Robert H Lurie Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Drobyski
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Traynor
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Link
mesh_terms: D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D015774:Ganciclovir