title: B cell homeostasis and the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease: implications for B cell-depleting therapy.
abstract: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a serious complication that develops frequently in survivors of allogeneic stem cell transplant. Since elucidation of the role of B cells in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD, B cell-depleting therapy with rituximab has been associated with beneficial effects in clinical and laboratory studies in patients with chronic GVHD. Although the mechanism underlying the contribution of B cells to the development of chronic GVHD is poorly understood, recent studies have proposed that B cell reconstitution after allogeneic stem cell transplant is involved in the development of chronic GVHD. Inadequate reconstitution of naive B cells and the persistence of high levels of B cell-activating factor have been found in patients with chronic GVHD, and these changes might be associated with the expansion of activated CD27-positive B cells that produce autoantibody in chronic GVHD. In the light of this altered B cell homeostasis in chronic GVHD, the role of rituximab in controlling the clinical manifestations of chronic GVHD has been studied. In this review, we address the role of B cells in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD and the response to B cell-depleting therapy based on B cell homeostasis.
authors: Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Seok Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Kim
authors: Jong Ho
authors: JH
authors: Won
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion / Q000379:methods*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D000069283:Rituximab; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab