Cellular immunotherapy with ex vivo expanded cord blood T cells in a humanized mouse model of EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease.

Background: Donor lymphocyte infusion is not feasible in recipients of cord blood transplantation.
Aim: We investigated whether infusion of T cells expanded from cord blood is effective in the treatment of model mice of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphoproliferative disease (LPD).
Materials & Methods: Humanized mice with reconstituted human immune system were prepared and LPD was induced by inoculating EBV intravenously. T cells were expanded from the same sample of cord blood as used for generation of humanized mice and infused to EBV-infected humanized mice.
Results: Mice treated with expanded cord blood T cells lived significantly longer than control mice (p = 0.036).
Conclusion: Infusion of T cells expanded from cord blood was effective in the treatment of model mice for EBV-associated LPD.