The role of invariant NKT cells in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative procedure for a number of hematological malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma. However, the anti-leukemia (graft-versus-leukemia, GVL) effect mediated by T cells transferred to the host with the allograft is often negated by the graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction imparted by the same cells. Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), an allogeneic reaction triggered in response to minor and major histocompatibility antigen disparities between donor and recipient, remains the main source of morbidity and mortality in T-cell-replete allogeneic HSCT. Here we review the biological properties, the pre-clinical work, and the recent clinical observations suggesting that invariant natural killer (iNK) T cells, a CD1d-restricted subset of immunoregulatory T cells, are important regulators of GVH and GVL reactions. Further, we outline strategies for manipulating iNKT cells to translate their therapeutic promise into clinical benefit in the context of allogeneic HSCT.

• Authors: Anastasios Karadimitris, Aristeidis Chaidos
• Journal: Critical reviews in immunology (Crit Rev Immunol) Vol. 32 Issue 2 Pg. 157-71 ( 2012) ISSN: 1040-8401 [Print] United States
• PMID: 23216613 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antigens, CD1

Topics

• Animals
• Antigens, CD1 (metabolism)
• Graft vs Host Disease (etiology, immunology)
• Graft vs Leukemia Effect (immunology)
• Hematologic Neoplasms (immunology, therapy)
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
• Humans
• Immunomodulation
• Natural Killer T-Cells (immunology)
• Postoperative Complications (immunology)
• Transplantation, Homologous