Role of major histocompatibility complex variation in graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic cell transplantation [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

• Main Author: Effie W. Petersdorf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: F1000 Research Ltd 2017-05-01
• Series: F1000Research
• Subjects: Anemias & Hypocellular Marrow Disorders; Genetics of the Immune System; Genomics; Hematopoietic Stem Cells; Immunomodulation; Leukemia & Proliferative Disorders of Hematic Cells; Leukocyte Signaling & Gene Expression; Medical Genetics
• Online Access: https://f1000research.com/articles/6-617/v1

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a significant potentially life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Since the discovery of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system over 50 years ago, significant advances have clarified the nature of HLA variation between transplant recipients and donors as a chief etiology of GVHD. New information on coding and non-coding gene variation and GVHD risk provides clinicians with options to consider selected mismatched donors when matched donors are not available. These advances have increased the availability of unrelated donors for patients in need of a transplant and have lowered the overall morbidity and mortality of HCT.