Glossary of Terms

Allodepleted: T cells from an allogeneic donor which have been selected to remove the cells that are capable of causing GVHD

Allogeneic: stem cells obtained from a donor other than the patient. These types of transplants are used when the patient’s own stem cells are diseased.

Antibody:  types of proteins that protect the body from bacterial infections and other diseases.

Autologous: stem cells obtained from the patient.  These types of transplants are used when the patient’s stem cells are not diseased.

Bone marrow: spongy material found in the center of bones. It is the factory where the body’s blood and stem cells are made.

Chemotherapy:  use of drugs to treat diseases.

Chimeric Receptor: joining an antibody to a T cell.

Donor:  individual whose stem cells will be given to the recipient

Engraftment: the process of donor cells growing the bone marrow to create new blood cells following a stem cell transplant

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV):  virus that causes infectious mononucleosis. This virus is frequently found in the cancer cells of patients who have Hodgkin disease (lymphoma) and Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC).

Graft Vs Host Disease (GVHD): GVHD is a serious and sometimes fatal side effect of stem cell transplant. GVHD occurs when the new donor stem cells (graft) recognizes that the body tissues of the patient (host) are different from those of the donor. When this happens, cells in the graft may attack the host organs, primarily the skin, liver and
intestines. How much this happens and how severe the GVHD is depends on many things, including how different the donors cells are from the cells of the person who receives the transplant, the strength of the drugs given in preparation for the transplant, the quality of transplanted cells and the age of the person receiving the transplant.

Haploidentical: stem cells taken from a donor which are not a perfect match for the recipient. See HLA matching below.

HLA system (HLA): white blood cells carry a distinguishing fingerprint on their surface called the HLA system.

HLA (stem cell) Matching: only cells that are similar to the recipients can be used for a stem cell transplant.  A perfect match would be a 6/6 HLA match.  A 5/6 HLA match is still considered to be a matched transplant.  A haploidentical transplant is a 3/6 match. 

Immunotherapy: use of agents similar to those produced naturally by the body’s immune system to fight disease.

Monoclonal Antibody:  a specialized protein made in a laboratory to help the body’s immune system destroy cells that are harmful to the body.

Platelets:  blood cells that form clots to stop bleeding

Radiotherapy:  use of radiation (like X-rays) to treat disease.

Recipient:  person (patient) undergoing a stem cell transplant

Red blood cells (RBC): the blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body

Stem cells: “mother” blood cells from which several different types of blood cells such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are formed

Stem Cell Transplant (SCT): To treat cancer and other conditions chemotherapy and/or radiation may be given to patients. As a result the patient’s bone marrow may be injured or destroyed.  In a stem cell transplant the patient is given an infusion of healthy stem cells.  The stem cells migrate to the cavities of the large bones and begin producing blood cells. Stem cell transplants can be allogeneic or autologous depending on what kind of disease the patient has.

T Lymphocytes (T cells):  a type of white blood cell that fights disease including tumor cells

T Regulatory Cells (T reg  cells):  a type of T cell that can control or
regulate the body's immune response. T reg cells are possibly important in whether or not patients who receive stem cell transplants develop graft versus host disease (GVHD), infection and/or disease relapse.

White blood cells (WBC): the blood cells that fight infections and protect the body from germs

 

 

©2002, Cell And Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza, N1002, Houston, TX 77030, (713)798-1246
URL: http://www.bcm.edu/genetherapy Email:cagt@bcm.edu
(Modified: September 21st, 2007 - jb)