GRAFT T-CELL DEPLETION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE MODULATION OF ALLOREACTIVITY AFTER HEMATOPOIETIC STEM-CELL TRANSPLANTATION

The T-lymphocytes present in the graft, HLA compatibility, and the cyt okine environment at the time of transplantation play a major role in alloreactivity. Increased knowledge of the on-going immunological inte ractions as well as the development of cellular therapy are required t o permit further expansion of post-transplantation alloreactivity as a n important immunotherapy tool. By allowing successful GvHD prevention and various post-transplantation immunological interventions, T-cell depletion of the graft can be the starting point for a multistage ''pr ogressive'' procedure transplantation process adapted to recipient dis ease, HLA compatibility, desired anti-tumour effects and observed allo reactivity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.