Responses to donor lymphocyte infusion for acute lymphoblastic leukemia may be determined by both qualitative and quantitative limitations of antileukemic T-cell responses as observed in an animal model for human leukemia

Our results indicate that the inefficacy of DLI in ALL may be due to the limitation of the proliferative capacity of ALL-reactive T cells and that the antileukemic efficacy during the limited time span of proliferation depends on the antigenic disparity between the donor and the patient. The model can be used to study whether alternative strategies may result in more sustained antileukemic responses after DLI in ALL.