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Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: benefit or burden?

Abstract

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) bridge innate and adaptive immune responses and have important roles in hematopoietic engraftment, GvHD and graft-versus-leukemia responses following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In addition, pDCs mediate antiviral immunity, particularly as they are the body’s primary cellular source of type I interferon. Given their pleiotropic roles, pDCs have emerged as cells that critically impact transplant outcomes, including overall survival. In this article, we will review the pre-clinical and clinical literature, supporting the crucial roles that pDCs assume as key immune effector cells during HCT.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the many valuable contributions of investigators whose work on plasmacytoid DCs was not included given the focus of the review and space limitations.

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JJA: conception and design, primary writing of the manuscript; SMD and EKW reviewed and revised the manuscript.

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Auletta, J., Devine, S. & Waller, E. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: benefit or burden?. Bone Marrow Transplant 51, 333–343 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2015.301

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