@article{WilhelmSmetakSchaeferEckartetal.2014, author = {Wilhelm, Martin and Smetak, Manfred and Schaefer-Eckart, Kerstin and Kimmel, Brigitte and Birkmann, Josef and Einsele, Hermann and Kunzmann, Volker}, title = {Successful adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of haploidentical γδ T cells}, series = {Journal of Translational Medicine}, volume = {12}, journal = {Journal of Translational Medicine}, number = {45}, doi = {10.1186/1479-5876-12-45}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117290}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Background: The primary aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and safety of an adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of human haploidentical gamma delta T lymphocytes. Methods: Patients with advanced haematological malignancies who are not eligible for allogeneic transplantation received peripheral blood mononuclear cells from half-matched family donors. For that, a single unstimulated leukapheresis product was incubated with both the anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 antibodies conjugated to paramagnetic particles. The depletion procedure was performed on a fully automated CliniMACS (R) device according to the manufacturer's instructions. On average, patients received 2.17 x 10(6)/kg (range 0.9-3.48) γδ T cells with <1\% CD4-or CD8-positive cells remaining in the product. All patients received prior lymphopenia-inducing chemotherapy (fludarabine 20-25 mg/m(2) day -6 until day -2 and cyclophosphamide 30-60 mg/kg day -6 and -5) and were treated with 4 mg zoledronate on day 0 and 1.0x10(6) IU/m(2) IL-2 on day +1 until day +6 for the induction of gamma delta T cell proliferation in vivo. Results: This resulted in a marked in vivo expansion of donor γδ T cells and, to a lower extent, natural killer cells and double-negative αβ T cells (mean 68-fold, eight-fold, and eight-fold, respectively). Proliferation peaked by around day +8 and donor cells persisted up to 28 days. Although refractory to all prior therapies, three out of four patients achieved a complete remission, which lasted for 8 months in a patient with plasma cell leukaemia. One patient died from an infection 6 weeks after treatment. Conclusion: This pilot study shows that adoptive transfer and in vivo expansion of haploidentical γδ T lymphocytes is feasible and suggests a potential role of these cells in the treatment of haematological diseases.}, language = {en} }