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Novel Cellular Therapeutic Approaches for the Prevention and Management of Graft-Versus-Host Disease

  • Cellular Therapies: Preclinical and Clinical (EM Horwitz, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Pharmacologic immunosuppression is the mainstay of treatment for GVHD, but there is a crucial need for new therapeutic approaches. Our review focuses on the preclinical and clinical evidence supporting immune regulatory cell infusions, allograft engineering, and suicide-gene-transduced donor T cells to mitigate GVHD. We also review potential challenges to the adoption and use of these therapies.

Recent Findings

Mesenchymal stromal cells and regulatory T cells appear effective in preventing and treating GVHD in preliminary studies, although methods of isolating and expanding these cells differ and warrant further investigation. Elimination of naïve or host-reactive donor T cells from allografts can prevent GVHD but may increase infection risk. Donor T cells engineered with human caspase 9 are rapidly eliminated after inducible gene activation, preventing GVHD.

Summary

Cellular therapeutics are a promising approach to mitigate GVHD. Clinical trials are underway domestically and internationally to establish the safety and efficacy of these approaches.

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  1. Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke University Medical Center, 2400 Pratt St, Suite 9100, Box 3961, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Shekeab Jauhari & Nelson Chao

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  1. Shekeab Jauhari
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Shekeab Jauhari and Nelson Chao declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cellular Therapies: Preclinical and Clinical

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Jauhari, S., Chao, N. Novel Cellular Therapeutic Approaches for the Prevention and Management of Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Curr Stem Cell Rep 4, 318–326 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-018-0146-4

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