[Application of monoclonal antibodies to bone marrow transplantation]

For the last several years, monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have been applied to clinical bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In allogeneic BMT, anti-T cell MoAbs have been used for in vitro depletion of T cells from transplanted bone marrow. This treatment has remarkably reduced the incidence of acute graft versus host disease. However, the high rate of graft rejection and leukemia relapse remains to be resolved. Autologous BMT has also been performed in leukemia and malignant lymphoma. MoAbs have been used for in vitro purging of contaminated tumor cells from preserved bone marrow. These clinical trials have resulted in a significant increase in the number of disease-free long-term survivors.