Graft-versus-tumor effect (GvT) appears after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
[4] The biology of GvT response is still not fully understood but it is probable that the reaction with polymorphic minor histocompatibility antigens expressed either specifically on hematopoietic cells or more widely on a number of tissue cells or tumor-associated antigens is involved.
[5][6] This response is mediated largely by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) but it can be employed by natural killers (NK cells) as separate effectors, particularly in T-cell-depleted HLA-haploidentical HSCT.
Whereas graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) has a negative impact on the host, GvL is beneficial for patients with hematopeietic malignancies.
There are some strategies to suppress the GvHD after transplantation or to enhance GvL but none of them provide an ideal solution to this problem.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used to mobilize HSC and mediate T cell tolerance during transplantation.
G-CSF can help to enhance GvL effect and suppress GvHD by reducing levels of LPS and TNF-α.