Adoptive Immunotherapy for Infection Control Using Antigen-Specific Donor-Derived T Cells After Transplantation

Over the decades both autologous and allogeneic cellular immunotherapy have evolved to a standard treatment option for several malignant and non-malignant disorders offering long-term disease control or even cure in the majority of cases. However, infectious complications as a result of an immunosuppressive environment or missing or dysfunctional cellular effectors leave infectious complications as one of the most important challenges. Here, we present the underlying mechanisms leading to these complications and discuss novel cellular strategies to overcome in particular infectious complications of viral (CMV, EBV, HSV, and HHV6) and fungal (Candida and Aspergillus) origin by harnessing the effects of adoptive immunotherapy. Taking both technical aspects of selection and culturing methods as well as functional aspects of the different cellular compartments such as central or effector memory or gamma–delta T lymphocytes into account we provide an overview of where adoptive immunotherapy stands to today in light of the most recent pharmaceutical developments.