Cellular adoptive immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
This review presents the role of donor lymphocyte infusion, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells in cellular immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.


RESULTS
It becomes increasingly possible to infuse more specialized subsets of lymphocyte cells after transplantation. The infusion of natural killer cells, especially in non human leukocyte antigen-identical transplantation, may become an important tool in enhancing the graft-versus-tumor effect. Vaccination of patients after stem cell transplantation with autologous-derived dendritic cells merits further investigation.


CONCLUSIONS
Stem cell transplantation has evolved to a specialized form of immunotherapy.
Schattenberg
Anton V M B
AV
Department of Hematology and Central Hematology Laboratory, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. a.schattenberg@hemat.umcn.nl
Dolstra
Harry
H
D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect / Q000502:physiology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*