Reprint of: B cells in chronic graft-versus-host disease

Stefanie Sarantopoulos; Bruce R Blazar; Corey Cutler; Jerome Ritz

doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.12.033

Reprint of: B cells in chronic graft-versus-host disease

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2015 Feb;21(2 Suppl):S11-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.12.033.

Authors

Stefanie Sarantopoulos¹, Bruce R Blazar², Corey Cutler³, Jerome Ritz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Cell Therapy and Hematologic Malignancies, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
² Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
³ Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
⁴ Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: jerome_ritz@dfci.harvard.edu.

PMID: 25620647
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.12.033

Abstract

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) continues to be a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Unlike acute graft-versus-host disease, which is mediated almost entirely by donor T cells, the immune pathology of cGVHD is more complex and donor B cells have also been found to play an important role. Recent studies from several laboratories have enhanced our understanding of how donor B cells contribute to this clinical syndrome and this has led to new therapeutic opportunities. Here, Dr Sarantopoulos reviews some of the important mechanisms responsible for persistent B cell activation and loss of B cell tolerance in patients with cGVHD. Dr Blazar describes recent studies in preclinical models that have identified novel B cell-directed agents that may be effective for prevention or treatment of cGVHD. Some B cell-directed therapies have already been tested in patients with cGVHD and Dr Cutler reviews the results of these studies documenting the potential efficacy of this approach. Supported by mechanistic studies in patients and preclinical models, new B cell-directed therapies for cGVHD will now be evaluated in clinical trials.

Keywords: B cell; Chronic graft-versus-host disease; Stem cell transplantation.

Publication types

Review