title: CD40 activation: potential for specific immunotherapy in B-CLL.
abstract: Despite encouraging scientific and therapeutic advances, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) principally remains an incurable disease. Allogeneic transplantation represents the only curative approach, but is marked by high mortality. Novel and less toxic treatment modalities are needed. Immunotherapeutic approaches have clearly demonstrated potential effectiveness in CLL and other B-cell malignancies. To successfully direct immunity against CLL, highly immunogenic tumor cells or tumor-antigen-loaded antigen-presenting cells are necessary. The CD40-CD40L interaction has been shown to significantly increase antigen presentation in normal and malignant B-cells. Here we discuss biology and potential therapeutic applications of the CD40-system in CLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Disease Center for Hematologic Neoplasia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Bergwelt-Baildon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maecker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schultze
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gribben
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D023201:CD40 Ligand