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Mechanism of action of extracorporeal photochemotherapy in chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) affects 50% of long-term bone marrow transplant survivors and remains a cause of major long-term morbidity in these patients despite aggressive therapy. Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP), considered as an effective treatment for patients with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), has recently been used successfully in the treatment of GvHD. One of the most intriguing aspects of ECP is its ability to induce two apparently opposite effects: activation of the immune system against neoplastic cells (as in CTCL) and downregulation of the activity of T-cell clones in autoimmune diseases (as in systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and pemphigus vulgaris) and autoallogeneic immune responses (as in GvHD and allograft rejection). Only a better and more complete understanding of the various mechanisms involved will enable this interesting new therapy to be made more effective and selective.
AuthorsM Fimiani, M Di Renzo, P Rubegni
JournalThe British journal of dermatology (Br J Dermatol) Vol. 150 Issue 6 Pg. 1055-60 (Jun 2004) ISSN: 0007-0963 [Print] England
PMID15214889 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
Topics
  • Apoptosis
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Chronic Disease
  • Dendritic Cells (immunology)
  • Graft vs Host Disease (immunology, therapy)
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural (immunology)
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Lymphocytes (immunology)
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous (immunology, therapy)
  • Monocytes (pathology, radiation effects)
  • Photopheresis
  • Transplantation Immunology

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