[Use of monoclonal antibodies in prophylaxis and treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease in 2011]

Abstract

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the treatment of choice of hematologic malignancies. Acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) is common after HSCT and directly related to graft versus leukemia effect. Little progress has been done in the treatment of acute GvHD. The first line treatment is usually high-dose steroids for patients presenting grade II or more GvHD. However, 40% of those patients are resistant to this treatment. Several approaches using monoclonal antibodies against cytokines or other molecules involved in the physiopathology of GvHD have been used. The aim of this review is an updated overview of the mainly used monoclonal antibodies in the prophylaxis or treatment of GvHD (e.g., anti-CD52, anti-TNFα, anti-CD25, anti-LFA3 and anti-CD20).