Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Bone Marrow Transplantation Platform to Investigate the Role of Dendritic Cells in Graft-versus-Host Disease
Published on: March 17, 2020
Prevention of GVHD without losing GVL effect: windows of opportunity
Ping Zhang1, Benny J Chen, Nelson J Chao
1Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3289, 247A Carl Building, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation has developed into a most successful form of immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies in the past 50 years. However, its effectiveness and wider applications have been greatly limited by the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a potentially lethal side effect associated with this procedure. Since the main effectors for both graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect and GVHD are T lymphocytes and these two processes share many similar pathways, it has not been easy to separate GVL from GVHD. Because the clinically used pan immunosuppressive therapy for GVHD prevention also results in decreased GVL effect, the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation relies on a small and unpredictable therapeutic window at the present time. This review discusses how we may widen this therapeutic window so that we can reliably prevent GVHD without losing GVL effect.
Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation has developed into a most successful form of immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies in the past 50 years. However, its effectiveness and wider applications have been greatly limited by the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a potentially lethal side effect associated with this procedure. Since the main effectors for both graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect and GVHD are T lymphocytes and these two processes share many similar pathways, it has not been easy to separate GVL from GVHD. Because the clinically used pan immunosuppressive therapy for GVHD prevention also results in decreased GVL effect, the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation relies on a small and unpredictable therapeutic window at the present time. This review discusses how we may widen this therapeutic window so that we can reliably prevent GVHD without losing GVL effect.
More Related Videos
08:52Generation of Multivirus-specific T Cells to Prevent/treat Viral Infections after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
Published on: May 27, 2011
11:55Induction of Alloantigen-specific Anergy in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells by Alloantigen Stimulation with Co-stimulatory Signal Blockade
Published on: March 14, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
Cytomegalovirus Disease
Tissue Transplantation
The Biology of Tissue Transplantation
The biology of tissue transplantation hinges on the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. These molecules...