Immunity, homing and efficacy of allogeneic adoptive immunotherapy for posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders

Am J Transplant. 2007 May;7(5):1293-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2007.01796.x. Epub 2007 Apr 8.

Abstract

Adoptive immunotherapy using autologous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (auto-CTL) can regress posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). Widespread applicability of auto-CTL remains constrained. Generation is time-consuming, and auto-CTL cannot be established in patients treated with the B-cell depleting antibody rituximab. By contrast, pregenerated allogeneic CTL (allo-CTL) offers immediate accessibility. Allo-CTL has previously shown efficacy in "early" polyclonal- PTLD. We treated three patients with aggressive, advanced monoclonal-PTLD following solid-organ transplantation. All were refractory to at least three prior therapies. Despite HLA disparity, there was negligible toxicity, with early in vivo antiviral efficacy and reconstitution of EBV peptide-specific immunity. Two patients attained complete remission (CR). One remains in CR 17 months following therapy, coincident with persistence of donor-derived tumor targeted EBV-specific CTL; the other died of non-PTLD related pathology. In the third patient, autopsy demonstrated homing of allo-CTL at the tumor site. Larger prospective studies of EBV-specific allo-CTL in PTLD are warranted.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Female
  • Heart Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Heart Transplantation / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Kidney Transplantation / immunology
  • Lung Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Lung Transplantation / immunology
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / immunology*
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / pathology
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing