ABSTRACT
Immune reconstitution therapies encompass a heterogeneous group of treatments designed to induce an immune “reset.” High-efficacy immune reconstitution therapies, including chemotherapeutic agents, monoclonal antibodies, and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) have received increasing attention in the context of autoimmune diseases. Following proof of concept experiments using animal models of disease, immune ablation followed by AHSCT has been utilized as a therapeutic intervention for multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. AHSCT is believed to exert its effect through deletion of pathogenic lymphocyte populations with subsequent development of a tolerant immune system, which is supported by the observation that early clinical remission following AHSCT can be maintained for decades. In this chapter, the experimental data supporting the theoretical framework for this supposition are examined.
