Graft-versus-host disease: how to translate new insights into new therapeutic strategies

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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Bone Marrow Transplantation Platform to Investigate the Role of Dendritic Cells in Graft-versus-Host Disease
08:05

Bone Marrow Transplantation Platform to Investigate the Role of Dendritic Cells in Graft-versus-Host Disease

Published on: March 17, 2020

Marcel P Devetten1, Julie M Vose

  • 1University of Nebraska, 987680 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-7680, USA.

Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation : Journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
|December 1, 2004
PubMed

Graft-versus-host disease occurs when transplanted donor-derived T lymphocytes recognize major or minor histocompatibility complex proteins and their associated peptides expressed by recipient antigen-presenting cells. A widely accepted paradigm for the pathophysiology of acute GVHD is based on the existence of 3 sequential steps: (1) injury to the host environment (as would occur during conditioning regimens); (2) donor T-cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation; and (3) damage to the target tissue caused by either cytotoxicity or indirectly by inflammatory cytokines. In order to reduce the incidence of GVHD, recent studies have focused on methods of prophylaxis as well as novel treatments for established GVHD. We review each phase in the development of acute GVHD and discuss recently developed interventions aimed to prevent or treat GVHD by interfering with these pathways.

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