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Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology pp 1–2Cite as

Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Overview

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Definition

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication from allogeneic hematological stem cell transplantation. It is a systemic inflammatory condition due to attack of host tissue by immunocompetent cells from the donor (Albert et al. 2008).

Etiology

GVHD is the recognition of allogeneic differences and destruction of host peptides by immune cells of the donor. Activation of donor immune cells leads to secretion of IL-2, resulting in clonal expansion and proliferation of T lymphocytes (Albert et al. 2008).

Acute GVHD is due to conditioning regimen (radiation and/or chemotherapy) that damages host tissue (Albert et al. 2008). This leads to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and TNF-α that increase expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alloantigens and adhesion molecules on the surface of host cells, activating donor type 1 helper T cell (Albert et al. 2008).

Chronic GVHD is predominantly a type 2 helper T cell response with lymphoproliferation,...

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References

  • Albert DM, Miller JW et al (2008) Albert & Jakobiec’s principles & practice of ophthalmology, 3rd edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 4821–4830

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  • Hasanain S, Antin JH, Dana R (2013) Ocular graft-versus-host disease: a review. Surv Ophthalmol 58(3):233–251

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  • Hessen M, Akpek EK (2012) Ocular graft-versus-host disease. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 12(5):540–547

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jiawei Zhao

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  1. Jiawei Zhao
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Correspondence to Jiawei Zhao .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Medical University of Wien Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Wien, Austria

    Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main Department of Ophthalmology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas Kohnen

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Zhao, J. (2014). Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Overview. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_740-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_740-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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