Removal of alpha/beta+ T cells and of CD19+ B cells from the graft translates into rapid engraftment, absence of visceral graft-versus-host disease and low transplant-related mortality in children with acute leukemia given HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

T-cell depleted HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a suitable option for patients in need of an allograft who lack a HLA-matched donor. Although it offers the advantage of being immediately applicable to virtually all patients, so far, graft manipulation with removal of all T lymphocyte subsets and of natural killer (NK) cells has been associated with an increased risk of life-threatening infections, as well as, in some studies, of leukemia recurrence