Graft-versus-tumor effect

Graft-versus-tumor effect (GvT) appears after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The graft contains donor T cells (T lymphocytes) that can be beneficial for the recipient by eliminating residual malignant cells.<ref name="pmid23482243">,

 A delicate balance: CD73-generated adenosine limits the severity of graft vs. host disease but also constrains the allogeneic graft vs. tumor effect, 
 Oncoimmunology, 
 2013,
 Vol. 2(Issue: 1),
 pp. e22107,
 DOI: 10.4161/onci.22107,
 PMID: 23482243,
 PMC: 3583907,</ref> GvT might develop after recognizing tumor-specific or recipient-specific alloantigens. It could lead to remission or immune control of hematologic malignancies.<ref name="pmid19029455">Kolb HJ, 
 Graft-versus-leukemia effects of transplantation and donor lymphocytes, 
 Blood, 
 2008,
 Vol. 112(Issue: 12),
 pp. 4371–83,
 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2008-03-077974,
 PMID: 19029455,</ref> This effect applies in myeloma and lymphoid leukemias, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and possibly breast cancer.<ref name="pmid10561256">, 
 Successful treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with a nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral-blood progenitor-cell transplant: evidence for a graft-versus-tumor effect, 
 J Clin Oncol, 
 1999,
 Vol. 17(Issue: 7),
 pp. 2044–9,
 DOI: 10.1200/jco.1999.17.7.2044,
 PMID: 10561256,</ref> It is closely linked with graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), as the underlying principle of alloimmunity is the same. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) can be used to suppress GvHD without loss of beneficial GvT effect.<ref name="pmid1292584">, 
 Successful treatment of postoperative external biliary fistula by selective nasobiliary drainage, 
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The biology of GvT response still isn’t fully understood but it is probable that the reaction with polymorphic minor histocompatibility antigens expressed either specifically on hematopoietic cells or more widely on a number of tissue cells or tumor-associated antigens is involved.<ref name="pmid15774790">,

 Graft-versus-tumor effects after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with nonmyeloablative conditioning, 
 J Clin Oncol, 
 2005,
 Vol. 23(Issue: 9),
 pp. 1993–2003,
 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.08.136,
 PMID: 15774790,
 
 
 Full text,</ref><ref name="pmid18242060">, 
 Separation of graft-vs.-tumor effects from graft-vs.-host disease in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, 
 J Autoimmun, 
 2008,
 Vol. 30(Issue: 3),
 pp. 172–9,
 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2007.12.002,
 PMID: 18242060,
 PMC: 2329571,</ref> This response is mediated largely by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) but it can be employed by natural killers (NK cells) as separate effectors, particularly in T-cell-depleted HLA-haploidentical HSCT.<ref name="pmid18242060" />

See also

• Graft-versus-host disease
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

References

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