Alternation of Cytokine mRNA Expression in Human Blood Samples before and after Allogeneic Transfusions / 대한진단검사의학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite proposing clonal depletion, anergy, and alternation of cytokines in peripheral tolerance, the precise mechanism for the immunosuppressive effect of blood transfusion remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the effect of transfusion on the immune system indirectly via quantitation of leukocyte cytokine mRNA expression before and after allogeneic transfusion. METHODS: Samples were obtained from eight patients, being ordered one to four units of leukocytefree erythrocytes, before, 1, and 7 days after transfusion, from November to December, 2002 at Inha University Hospital. We explored the changes in mRNA expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). RESULTS: In four patients who received blood transfusions among eight, significant changes were observed in the blood mRNA levels of INF-gamma and IL-10. The amounts of IFN-gamma mRNA were significantly decreased a day after transfusion to 78.5% and then recovered to 110.9% 7 days later (P=0.032), whereas, that of IL-10 was increased to 151.5% a day after and recovered to 119.1% 7 days later (P=0.034). mRNA expressions of IL-2, IL-4, and TNF-alpha were not detected in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a significant decrease in leukocyte IFN-gamma mRNA expression and an increase in IL-10 mRNA after transfusion. These findings indirectly represent that down-regulation of the Th1 cells and the up-regulation of the Th2 cells could be caused by allogeneic transfusion.