The molecular and clinical rationale of extracorporeal photochemotherapy in autoimmune diseases, malignancies and transplantation

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy, or photopheresis is a low-risk therapeutical intervention, which has been introduced in a variety of hematological malignancies, autoimmune conditions and transplantation. The mode of action of photopheresis encompasses apoptosis-induction and modifications of immunoregulatory processes, leading to the elimination of malignant cells, as well as the down-modulation of harmful immune responses. Although the beneficial effects of the therapy have been depicted in numerous studies, little is known about the exact benefits and the molecular mechanisms behind. The aim of the present review was to portray some aspects of the molecular and clinical rationale of extracorporeal photochemotherapy in autoimmune diseases, malignancies and transplantation, and to provide an overview of the treatment in the modern clinical management of these diseases.