Cytokine expression in mice with acute graft versus host disease after allo-bone marrow transplantation

Zhao WANG; Huihui LI; Cuicui FENG; Fang LI

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) is still one of the barriers of allogenic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in clinic. It has been proven that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-?1), tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) and interferon-? (IFN-?) abnormal secretion may be essential factors for aGVHD.

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the role of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IFN-?, marker factors of Th1 and Th2, in aGVHD mice model of allogenic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. DESIGN, TIME AND

SETTING:

Randomized controlled in vivo transplantation was performed at Department of Animal, Beijing Stomatology Hospital and Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from August to October 2005. MATERIALS Twenty clean-grade male C57BL/6(H-2b) mice as donors were selected for harvesting bone marrow cells and spleen lymphocyte; fifty BALB/c(H-2d) female mice as recipients were randomly divided into control group (n=10), bone marrow cell transplantation group (n=20) and combination transplantation group (n=20).

METHODS:

Bone marrow cell group was injected with 2.0?107 marrow cells through tail vein, and combination transplantation group was injected with bone marrow cells and spleen lymphocyte of C57BL/6(H-2b) mice. Both groups were exposed to 6MV-X radiation (9.0 Gy). MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Mice survival time; peripheral blood leucocyte count; cytokine levels in peripheral serum by ELASA; histopathological alterations by HE staining.

RESULTS:

Mice in marrow cell group died since the eighth day, while those in combination group since the fourth day. Kaplan-Meier exhibited P 0.05). Compared with marrow cell group, the levels of IL-4 were significantly decreased (P