Murine models of graft versus host disease (GVHD): Focus on ocular GVHD

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains a major and serious complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Based on the time of onset, clinical phenotypes, progression kinetics, and pathophysiology, GVHD is stratified into acute, chronic, and overlapping types. The eyes are among the most commonly affected organs in GVHD. Mouse models have played an important role in understanding the several key elements of GVHD pathobiology. The current review discusses the immunology, pathology, and key phenotypic features of mouse models of systemic GVHD. Furthermore, a critical appraisal of mouse models of ocular GVHD (oGVHD) is provided. The disease mechanisms underlying the ocular surface, meibomian gland, and lacrimal gland injury in these models are reviewed, and the relevance of oGVHD murine models to clinical oGVHD is also included.