title: The promise of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is being increasingly utilized for the treatment of a whole spectrum of severe autoimmune diseases refractory to conventional therapy. Although allogeneic HSCT has been followed by durable complete remission in a restricted number of patients with coincidental disease, the autologous procedure is generally preferred because of its lesser toxicity. Most autoimmune diseases are the consequence of a multistep process, mainly originating from the interplay of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. It has been postulated that if immunosuppressive regimens can eliminate or effectively reduce the level of autoreactive T and B cells, then regeneration of de novo immunity even in the autologous setting may bypass the initial breakdown of self-tolerance and ensure prolonged disease remission. As mentioned in a recent review of this field, protocol design including conditioning regimen, patient selection, stem cell source and final outcome are likely to be disease-specific. The following is a summary of the 2002 International Bone Marrow Transplantation Registry/American Society of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation (IBMTR/ASBMT) satellite symposium in Orlando, Florida on 24 February 2002 on 'Expanding the Promise of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Autoimmune Diseases'.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Department of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Traynor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marmont
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans