E T Rutayungwa | PubMed Health

PubMed1994

[The HLA system. An introduction].

The cellular identity is determined by the cell surface antigens. The recognition of self and non-self in vertebrates is mainly controlled by antigens and coded for by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Upon recognition of a foreign antigen, the immune system does not only initiate a reaction with the help of cytotoxic T-cells, phagocytes and humoral antibodies; memory cells are also generated, enabling a very swift and powerful response after repeated exposure to the same foreign antigens. These characteristics, although essential for the survival of the organism in a hostile environment, can markedly limit the life of useful and potentially lifesaving organ transplants.

Graft Rejection↗

PubMed1989

[Transplantation of bone marrow from unrelated donors in chronic myeloid leukemia].

Bone marrow transplantations in four patients (aged 8-28 years, median 27 years) with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) were performed from unrelated donors who were HLA-identical and MLC-negative. One patient was in the stage of refractory blast crisis, one in a chronic phase, and two in the second chronic phase. Conditioning treatment consisted of fractionated radiation and administration of cyclophosphamide; in the patients with their second chronic phase additionally etoposide. Cyclosporin A and methotrexate were administered to prevent graft versus host reaction. The patient in the blast crisis died on day 12 after transplantation of Candida pneumonia. The other three patients are still alive 128, 306 and 530 days, respectively, after transplantation, only a mild form of graft versus host disease having occurred. It is suggested that for patients younger then 50 years with CML in the chronic phase an unrelated donor should be searched for in the absence of a familial donor.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗