Injectable scaffold may protect against graft-versus-host disease

T cells are immune cells that are essential for life. Reduced T cell numbers and functional deficiencies are causally implicated in a wide range of disorders affecting the immune system. A marked deficiency in T cell generation may also contribute to a life-threatening complication called graft-versus-host disease in patients who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation -- a potentially curative treatment that involves replacing abnormal blood-forming stem cells with healthy cells. Researchers recently developed an injectable biomaterial-based scaffold that enhances T cell immunity, reduces the induction of graft-versus-host disease, and improves survival in mice after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. If the findings are successfully translated to humans, this simple approach may enhance T cell regeneration and mitigate graft-versus-host disease, potentially broadening the clinical use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study, which was partly funded by the NHLBI, was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.