Cytokines in lethal graft-versus-host disease.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is caused by donor T lymphocytes that recognize foreign antigens on host tissues. This leads to T cell activation, which involves a cascade of events including the transcription of genes for cytokines and their receptors and the production of cytokines. One of the first cytokines to appear is interleukin 2 (IL-2). IL-2 production enhances the IL-2 receptor expression and leads to T cell proliferation. As a further step, differentation of T cells occurs, which results in the production of a certain pattern of cytokines. These cytokines influence the expression of cell surface antigens and adhesion molecules, and are able to activate other cell types such as cytotoxic T cells, macrophages and natural killer cells, which might act as effector cells in tissue destruction. Insight into the sequential expression of the various cytokines involved might enable a more effective treatment of GVHD. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of cytokines in a murine model for acute GVHD. We addressed in particular the period early after allogeneic reconstitution.
Knulst
A C
AC
Department of Immunology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Bril-Bazuin
C
C
Tibbe
G J
GJ
van Oudenaren
A
A
Savelkoul
H F
HF
Benner
R
R
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma