Mechanisms of the graft-versus-leukemia reaction

It is now clear that the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect which accompanies allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for hematological malignancies is a powerful therapeutic weapon which, if harnessed, could improve our ability to treat refractory malignant disorders. Advances in the understanding of the alloimmune response now provide a clearer picture of the mechanisms involved in the GVL reaction: the CD4(+) T cell plays a central role in the orchestration of leukemia cell killing. The immunogenicity of the leukemia is also a major factor determining the effectiveness of the GVL response. The characterization of antigens restricted to leukemia and hematopoietic tissues should make it eventually possible to produce specific and powerful antileukemic alloresponses in donor lymphocytes by adoptive immunotherapy or by vaccines.