title: Antibodies to interferon-alpha: a novel type of autoantibody occurring after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: Antibodies to IFN-alpha have been recognized as a novel type of autoantibody developing after allogeneic BMT. Ninety-six patients undergoing BMT for various hematologic disorders were followed for the presence of spontaneous IFN-alpha antibodies until 12 years after transplantation. Seven of them (7.3%) developed IFN-alpha antibodies occurred late after BMT (> or = 15 months), rose to very high titers in some patients, and persisted for years despite combined immunosuppressive treatment. They were oligo- or polyclonal in nature, predominantly IgG with a broad IgG subclass distribution, and neutralized the antiviral and antiproliferative activity of various natural and recombinant IFN-alpha types including the patients' endogenous IFN-alpha in vitro. All antibody-positive recipients suffered from chronic GVHD (n = 5) or chronic viral hepatitis (n = 2), but the only significant association was with prior severe aplastic anemia (3/9, 33%; P = 0.022). There was no discernible HLA association of IFN antibody development. Although the clinical relevance of the IFN-alpha antibodies is uncertain they may interfere with cellular defence mechanisms and immune regulation after BMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prümmer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunjes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiesneth
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hertenstein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Porzsolt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heimpel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D005199:Fanconi Anemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins