Intestinal crypt cell apoptosis in murine acute graft versus host disease is mediated by tumour necrosis factor alpha and not by the FasL-Fas interaction: effect of pentoxifylline on the development of mucosal atrophy.
BACKGROUND
Murine T cell mediated acute semiallogeneic graft versus host disease (GVHD) is characterised by lymphocytic infiltrates, crypt hyperplasia, and villous atrophy. It has been shown that programmed cell death (apoptosis) of the crypt epithelium takes place during the intestinal manifestation of acute GVHD.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate which of the two most investigated inductors of apoptosis (Fas ligand (FasL) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)) is responsible for the induction of apoptosis in this animal model.


METHODS
Animals undergoing acute semiallogeneic GvH reaction were treated with neutralising anti-TNF-alpha, two different anti-FasL antibodies, or pentoxifylline.


RESULTS
Anti-TNF-alpha application inhibited the appearance of apoptotic cells in the intestinal mucosa, whereas anti-FasL antibodies had no influence on mucosal apoptosis. In addition, the transfer of FasL deficient (gld) donor lymphocytes still induced crypt cell apoptosis, villous atrophy, and crypt hyperplasia. Furthermore, when the animals were treated with pentoxifylline, a known inhibitor of TNF-alpha secretion in vitro and in vivo, there was significant normalisation of the intestinal morphology accompanied by inhibition of epithelial apoptosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The FasL-Fas interaction is not involved in the induction of apoptosis during acute GVHD. However, neutralisation of TNF-alpha by an antibody or by pentoxifylline inhibits the occurrence of apoptosis and of mucosal atrophy in this animal model. These results have implications for the treatment of immunologically mediated human atrophic gut diseases-for example, diet refractory cases of coeliac disease.
I. Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Department of Internal Medicine, Christian-Albechts-Universität, Kiel, Germany.
E
E
Stüber
A
A
Büschenfeld
A
A
von Freier
T
T
Arendt
U R
UR
Fölsch
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000209:etiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010431:Pentoxifylline