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Immunodeficiency and the role of suppressor cells after human bone marrow transplantation
1Department of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, Michigan 48202.
Although not totally analogous to a fetus or newborn, the donor-derived immune system attempts to recapitulate immune ontogeny over a 1- to 2-year period. Early after BMT, primitive functions such as cytotoxicity are present in an immunologic environment dominated by suppressive signals. The suppressive signals are so intense that helper cells are inhibited in their ability to function. Teleologically, the suppressive signals may be required for the development of specific tolerance. Full immune reconstitution is accompanied by the development of specific suppressor activity and specific immune functions. Cognitive T cell-T cell and T cell-B cell interactions are dependent upon the finely tuned and orchestrated synthesis of lymphokines, as well as the expression of specific receptors for the lymphokines on target cells. Future studies will elucidate the mechanisms involved in such interactions in lymphocytes from BMT recipients. Understanding the mechanisms involved will permit the development of therapeutic strategies to manipulate immune responses after BMT.
Although not totally analogous to a fetus or newborn, the donor-derived immune system attempts to recapitulate immune ontogeny over a 1- to 2-year period. Early after BMT, primitive functions such as cytotoxicity are present in an immunologic environment dominated by suppressive signals. The suppressive signals are so intense that helper cells are inhibited in their ability to function. Teleologically, the suppressive signals may be required for the development of specific tolerance. Full immune reconstitution is accompanied by the development of specific suppressor activity and specific immune functions. Cognitive T cell-T cell and T cell-B cell interactions are dependent upon the finely tuned and orchestrated synthesis of lymphokines, as well as the expression of specific receptors for the lymphokines on target cells. Future studies will elucidate the mechanisms involved in such interactions in lymphocytes from BMT recipients. Understanding the mechanisms involved will permit the development of therapeutic strategies to manipulate immune responses after BMT.