Hematopoietic lineage-restricted minor histocompatibility antigen HA-1 in graft-versus-leukemia activity after donor lymphocyte infusion.

Immunocompetent alloreactive donor lymphocytes directed against minor histocompatibility antigens are supposed to be responsible for graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) activity after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The authors describe the detection of HA-1-specific T cells by peptide-loaded dimers and flow cytometry in the peripheral blood of a patient in complete remission but without GvHD after donor lymphocyte infusion for chemotherapy-resistant Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The HA-1-specific T cells were sorted and an alloreactive, polyclonal T-cell line with specific lytic activity against HA-1-positive target cells, including leukemic cells, was established. Although P190 bcr/abl peptide-specific CD8-positive T cells were detected in the peripheral blood at the same time, these T cells could not be expanded. Furthermore, no P190 bcr/abl peptide-specific T-cell response could be induced in vitro, even when peptide-loaded dendritic cells were used as stimulator cells. The authors conclude that in the absence of GvHD, HA-1-specific rather than P190 bcr/abl-specific T cells are responsible for ongoing GvL activity.