Polyclonal antibody secretion during acute graft-versus-host disease.
Spontaneous plaque-forming cells (S-PFC) were followed in 67 bone marrow transplantation (BMT) recipients and 41 controls. Patients with no acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) had decreased IgA and IgM S-PFC up to 7 weeks after BMT compared with controls. Patients with acute GVHD had increased IgG, IgA, and IgM PFC compared with controls and patients without GVHD during the first 4 weeks after BMT. The maximum number of S-PFC increased with increasing severity of acute GVHD. However, at diagnosis of GVHD there was no difference in S-PFC in patients who resolved their GVHD or in those who developed more severe GVHD. After 6 weeks, patients with acute GVHD had significantly decreased IgA and IgM S-PFC compared with normal. No major changes in S-PFC were induced during various infections. However, a patient who developed urticaria had a dramatic increase in S-PFC. Patients studied more than a year after BMT had reduced IgM S-PFC compared with controls. It is concluded that S-PFC are reduced after BMT, but markedly enhanced during acute GVHD.
Ringdén
O
O
Department of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Sundberg
B
B
Markling
L
L
Tollemar
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007136:Immunoglobulins