AUTOLOGOUS GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE

Treatment with cyclosporine Al a prototypic immunosuppressive drug, fo llowing autologous bone marrow transplantation (autoBMT) induces autol ogous graft-versus-host disease (autoGvHD), similar to acute GvHD afte r allogeneic BMT. The development of autoGvHD appeals to be associated with the emergence of autoreactive T cells recognizing self MHC class II antigens, and the elimination of a T-cell-dependent peripheral aut oregulatory mechanism. The induction of autoGvHD may be of benefit to the autoBMT patients by providing the graft-versus-tumor effect. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.