Cellular immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in hematologic malignancies

The chimeric state after allogeneic stem cell transplantation provides an ideal platform for adoptive immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies using donor-derived cells. The present review aims to summarize recent results of the transfusion of donor-derived cells with regard to the diseases treated, the cells used for treatment, and the origin of these cells.

The transfusion of donor lymphocytes has been studied widely, not only in patients with recurrent disease, persistent disease, and mixed chimerism but also in a variety of hematologic malignancies. Donors of lymphocytes and hematopoietic stem cells have been HLA-identical siblings, HLA-matched unrelated donors, and HLA-different haploidentical family members. A variety of cells have been used for adoptive immunotherapy, including plain lymphocytes, selected T cells, T cell lines, and T cell clones. The possible therapies have been expanded by natural killer cells and natural killer T cells as well as antibodies directing the effector cells toward the malignancy.

Adoptive immunotherapy in chimeras has become not only a routine form of treatment of recurrent hematologic malignancy but also a prophylactic measure in high-risk leukemia and lymphoma.