title: Alloreactivity of virus-specific T cells: possible implication of graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukemia effects.
abstract: Immune reconstitution of functional virus-specific T cells after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been intensively investigated. However, the possible role of crossreactivity of these virus-specific T cells against allogeneic targets is still unclear. Theoretically, as in the field of organ transplantation, virus-specific T cells possess crossreactivity potential after allogeneic HSCT. Such crossreactivity is assumed to play a role in graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukemia effects. In this article, we aim to give a comprehensive overview of current understanding about crossreactivity of virus-specific T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Hematology, University Hospital of Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany ; Division of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Cancer Center Hospital , Tokyo , Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuji
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Einsele
keywords: GVHD; GVL; HLA antigens; allogeneic stem cell transplantation; mismatch; virus-specific T-cell