First-in-man clinical results of the treatment of patients with graft versus host disease with human ex vivo expanded CD4+CD25+CD127-T regulatory cells

Here, we describe a procedure and first-in-man clinical effects of adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded CD4+CD25+CD127-T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the treatment of graft versus host disease (GvHD). The cells were sorted from buffy coats taken from two family donors, expanded ex vivo and transferred to respective recipients who suffered from either acute or chronic GvHD. The therapy allowed for significant alleviation of the symptoms and reduction of pharmacologic immunosuppression in the case of chronic GvHD, while in the case of grade IV acute GvHD it only transiently improved the condition, for the longest time within all immunosuppressants used nonetheless. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.