Extracorporeal photochemotherapy in human and murine graft-versus-host disease

J Dermatol Sci. 1999 Feb;19(2):106-13. doi: 10.1016/s0923-1811(98)00066-8.

Abstract

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is an immunotherapy that has found a role in the therapy of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, a disease of mature activated T cells. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is also mediated by activated T cells, and thus often responds to therapies that target T cells. Murine models for both GVHD and ECP can be combined to study the impact of this immunotherapy on GVHD. In this paper we present a patient with GVHD who demonstrated a beneficial therapeutic response to treatment with ECP. The findings of this case are compared with the observations from a murine model for GVHD-ECP. The potential mechanisms of ECP in the treatment of GVHD are discussed. along with the similarities observed with ECP in the treatment of other conditions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Extracorporeal Circulation
  • Graft vs Host Disease / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Photochemotherapy