title: Control of organ transplant-associated graft-versus-host disease by activated host lymphocyte infusions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prolonged persistence of donor-derived T cells after organ transplantation has been proposed to improve long-term allograft survival. However, surviving transplant-derived T cells are also able to mediate devastating graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Currently, GvHD after organ transplantation is usually refractory to conventional therapy and the disease outcome fatal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graft-reactive host T cells were generated ex vivo from a patient suffering from a severe and refractory liver-transplant-associated GvHD. To control GvHD, activated alloreactive host T cells were repetitively retransferred into the patient (activated host lymphocyte infusion [aHLI]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adoptive transfer of ex vivo activated alloreactive host T cells (aHLI) led to the control and complete resolution of severe GvHD without inducing allograft rejection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  aHLI opens a novel therapeutic window to control solid-organ transplant-associated GvHD while preserving allograft integrity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. J.Kuball@gmx.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuball
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theobald
authors.forename: Edite Antunes
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burg
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maccagno
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Barreiros
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lüth
authors.forename: Carl C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Schimanski
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuchmann
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwarting
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neurath
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Galle
authors.forename: Ansgar W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lohse
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000368:Aged; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D004820:Epidermolysis Bullosa / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D012720:Severity of Illness Index