RHAMM/CD168 was defined as a LAA using the approach of serological screening of expression libraries (SEREX), eliciting IgG responses in 42% of patients with AML, but not in healthy volunteers (HV) or patients with autoimmune diseases. mRNA for RHAMM was demonstrated by qRT-PCR to be expressed in leukemic blasts of more than 80% of the AML patients, but not in PBMN or CD34+ stem cells of healthy volunteers. Among normal tissues, only testis, placenta and thymus showed significant mRNA expression for the antigen, therefore sharing the expression profile of some other SEREX antigens.

The Programmed Death (PD)‐1/PD‐Ligand 1 Pathway Regulates Graft‐Versus‐Host‐Reactive CD8 T Cells After Liver Transplantation

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a life-threatening complication after solid-organ transplantation, which is mediated by host-reactive donor T cells emigrating from the allograft. We report on two liver transplant recipients who developed an almost complete donor chimerism in peripheral blood and bone marrow-infiltrating T cells during aGVHD. By analyzing these T cells directly ex vivo, we found that they died by apoptosis over time without evidence of rejection by host T cells. The host-versus-donor reactivity was selectively impaired, as anti-third-party and antiviral T cells were still detectable in the host repertoire. These findings support the acquired donor-specific allotol…