University of Michigan Physician
Completes GvL Research
The recipient of a New Investigator Award from ASBMT and PDL BioPharma, Inc., has submitted a final report on his research on the role of antigen-presenting cells in mediating graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect after experimental allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
Pavan Reddy, MD, an assistant professor in the adult blood and marrow transplant program at the University of Michigan Medical School, fulfilled the first goal of his research project by demonstrating the role of host antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in inducing graft-vs-leukemia (GvL) responses after bone marrow transplantation. For an effective GvL response to develop, there had to be functional APCs to present tumor antigens and/or alloantigens.
Subsequent research clarified the role of APCs in producing GvL responses. In experimental mice with leukemia, APCs transplanted from donor mice produced GvL responses by presenting tumor antigens and/or alloantigens, but mainly when the number of leukemia cells was smaller. A much stronger GvL response was produced by the recipient mice’s own APCs – even though the number of APCs was similar.
The results suggest that, in patients undergoing BMT for leukemia, treatments targeting APCs to prevent GvHD may also reduce needed GvL responses. Overall, GvL responses appear to be best when alloantigens are found on both APCs and tumor cells.