T-cell and natural killer cell therapies for hematologic malignancies after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: enhancing the graft-versus-leukemia effect.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

6-2015

Journal

Haematologica

Volume

Volume 100

Issue

6

Inclusive Pages

709-719

DOI

10.3324/haematol.2014.113860

Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies, but infection, graft-versus-host disease and relapse are still important problems. Calcineurin inhibitors, T-cell depletion strategies, and immunomodulators have helped to prevent graft-versus-host disease, but have a negative impact on the graft-versus-leukemia effect. T cells and natural killer cells are both thought to be important in the graft-versus-leukemia effect, and both cell types are amenable to ex vivo manipulation and clinical manufacture, making them versatile immunotherapeutics. We provide an overview of these immunotherapeutic strategies following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with discussions centered on natural killer and T-cell biology. We discuss the contributions of each cell type to graft-versus-leukemia effects, as well as the current research directions in the field as related to adoptive cell therapy after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Comments

This is an open access PubMed Central article. Click on link for full-text access.

Peer Reviewed

1

Open Access

1

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