Serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptor, IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-gamma in patients with acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Acute graft-versus-host disease still represents the major factor that limits successful allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Cytokines released by type 1 T-helper cells are thought to play a pivotal role in acute graft-versus-host disease.


OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to investigate whether the serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptor, IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-gamma were associated with the manifestation of acute graft-versus-host disease.


METHODS
Serum cytokine levels were measured by sandwich ELISA in 18 patients who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.


RESULTS
Serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptor, IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-gamma were increased in patients in whom acute graft-versus-host disease developed. However, only serum soluble IL-2 receptor levels were significantly related to disease severity. Serum levels of IL-12 and IL-18, both of which are mainly produced by activated macrophages, were increased in different phases of acute graft-versus-host disease, especially grade I. Serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptor and IFN-gamma were significantly elevated in patients with fever.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptor were more closely related to the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease than those of IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-gamma.
Nakamura
H
H
Department of Tumor Biochemistry, the Fifth Department of Medicine, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Komatsu
K
K
Ayaki
M
M
Kawamoto
S
S
Murakami
M
M
Uoshima
N
N
Yagi
T
T
Hasegawa
T
T
Yasumi
M
M
Karasuno
T
T
Teshima
H
H
Hiraoka
A
A
Masaoka
T
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D012995:Solubility; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma