Translational opportunities for targeting the Th17 axis in acute graft-vs.-host disease

F Malard1,2,3,4, B Gaugler1,2, B Lamarthee1,2

  • 1Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.

Mucosal Immunology
|January 28, 2016
PubMed

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is a curative therapy for different life-threatening malignant and non-malignant hematologic disorders. Acute graft-vs.-host disease (aGVHD) and particularly gastrointestinal aGVHD remains a major source of morbidity and mortality following allo-SCT, which limits the use of this treatment in a broader spectrum of patients. Better understanding of aGVHD pathophysiology is indispensable to identify new therapeutic targets for aGVHD prevention and therapy. Growing amount of data suggest a role for T helper (Th)17 cells in aGVHD pathophysiology. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge in this area in animal models and in humans. We will then describe new potential treatments for aGVHD along the Th17 axis.