title: Epigenomics in hematopoietic transplantation: novel treatment strategies.
abstract: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a high risk but curative treatment option for leukemia, myelodysplasia and other hematological malignancies. After high dose radio- or chemo-therapy, recipient's hematopoiesis is replaced by a new immunosystem and residual malignant cells are eliminated by the graft-versus-leukemia reaction. The benefit of this immunological effect is limited by the most frequent complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: graft-versus-host disease. In addition to their well-known anti-tumor activity, epigenetic drugs mediate immunotolerance without reducing alloreactivity or even enhance graft-versus-leukemia effect without inducing graft-versus-host disease by regulating cytokine release, increasing the circulating number of regulatory T cells and interacting with natural killer cells. We focus on the use of epigenetic drugs in the allogeneic transplantation setting in relation to their anti-tumor and immunomodulatory potential.
authors: Klinikum Augsburg (Augsburg, DE), Medical Department II, Germany. nicole.engel@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Engel
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Rank
mesh_terms: D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000077209:Decitabine; D057890:Epigenomics / Q000379:methods*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect / Q000502:physiology*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000077209:Decitabine; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D001374:Azacitidine