title: Immune reconstitution: an important component of a successful allogeneic transplantation.
abstract: The recipients of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplants are characterised by an immunodeficiency of varying severity and duration. Their immunocompromised state is due in part to: (1) an impaired recapitulation of lymphoid ontogeny, (2) a lack of sustained transfer of donor immunity, (3) the effects of graft versus host disease and its therapy, and (4) a reduction in thymic function. Recipients can have delays in the production of naive T lymphocytes following transplantation which result in defects in the production of new antigen specific T lymphocytes and an inability to produce antibodies, especially to carbohydrate antigens. T-cell proliferation as well as immunoglobulin production remains impaired usually until the second half of the first year post-transplant. Other factors that can influence immunological reconstitution include the donor-recipient relationship (histocompatible or matched unrelated donor), intervening infections and recipient age, among others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, National Institute of Haematology and Immunology, P.O. Box 424, H-1519, Budapest, Hungary. k.paloczi@ohvi.hu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paloczi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination