Figure 2.
The figure summarizes data from preclinical murine models and clinical haploidentical transplantation.2
Donor-versus-recipient alloreactive natural killer (NK) cells eliminate residual leukemic cells. In addition, they ablate host-type dendritic cells, i.e., the cells that are responsible for triggering graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). NK cells also attack residual host lympho-hematopoietic cells, including T lymphocytes that are responsible for graft rejection.
