title: B-cell involvement in chronic graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Chronic graft-versus-host disease is a serious complication in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with several organ systems affected. Chronic graft-versus-host disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This article reviews the pathogenesis of chronic graft-versus-host disease. In particularly, the role of B cells in chronic graft-versus-host disease is evaluated, as is evident from several studies which have investigated the presence of antibodies as well as studies which have analyzed B cells as a target for immunotherapy. Thirty autoantibodies and 5 alloantibodies have been identified in chronic graft-versus-host disease patients in 24 studies, and 8 autoantibodies and 5 alloantibodies seemed to be strongly associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease. In addition, various studies have observed significant improvements in chronic graft-versus-host disease using the anti-CD20(+) antibody rituximab. However, it appears to be highly likely that both B cells as well as T cells are of major importance in chronic graft-versus-host disease. Further research is required to clarify the pathogenesis of chronic graft-versus-host disease.
authors: Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Rick
authors: R
authors: Kapur
authors: Saskia
authors: S
authors: Ebeling
authors: Anton
authors: A
authors: Hagenbeek
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab