title: Graft-versus-host disease in the absence of the spleen after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The spleen is considered to be an important secondary lymphoid organ where acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is initiated by donor T cells that recognize host alloantigens after allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation (BMT). The influence of splenectomy on the development of GVHD prior to BMT has yet to be determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mortality and severity of murine GVHD of unsplenectomized, splenectomized, and sham-operated recipients of allogeneic BMT were compared in a blinded fashion. Serum levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma were measured 7 days after BMT, as an index of systemic donor T-cell responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality and morbidity of acute GVHD were not significantly affected by splenectomy in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched, CD4-driven murine GVHD model and a minor histocompatibility antigen (MiHA)-mismatched, CD8-driven GVHD model. Serum levels of IFN-gamma also were not different between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GVHD can readily develop after allogeneic BMT, even in the absence of the spleen, in these mouse models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0942, USA. clouthie@umich.edu
authors.forename: Shawn G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Clouthier
authors.forename: James L M
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teshima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D051379:Mice; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013156:Splenectomy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology