title: Cytokine induction of neopterin production.
abstract: The pteridine neopterin is a marker of immunological activation and has been shown to be a useful marker of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in bone marrow transplant patients. High levels of both neopterin and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were produced in vitro during mixed lymphocyte responses, which may be considered to be a model of the primary events leading to GVHD. Neopterin was shown to be produced by monocytes in response to stimulation with IFN-gamma, but not other cytokines. However, the interleukins IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and beta, but not IL-6, stimulated neopterin production by unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and culture supernatants from PBMC stimulated with IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2 and IL-6, but not TNF-alpha or TNF-beta induced neopterin production following transfer to fresh monocyte cultures. It therefore appears that cytokines may generate neopterin by induction of IFN-gamma, by synergy with low levels of induced IFN-gamma, or by non-IFN-gamma-dependent mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Westminster Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riches
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hobbs
mesh_terms: D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019798:Neopterin
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D007371:Interferon-gamma