Immunological consequences of interleukin 12 administration after autologous stem cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose is to determine the immunological effects of recombinant human interleukin (rhIL)-12 therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation.


METHODS
Twelve patients (8 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 2 Hodgkin's disease, and 2 plasma cell myeloma) were treated with rhIL-12 by bolus i.v. injection in doses of 30, 100, or 250 ng/kg starting at a median of 66 days posttransplant. Immunological assays were performed using serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples obtained on study.


RESULTS
Dose-dependent increases in the total lymphocyte count occurred during rhIL-12 therapy. The absolute number of peripheral blood CD4 T cells increased up to 16.3-fold, CD8 T cells up to 20.5-fold, B cells up to 11-fold, and natural killer (NK) cells up to 12.3-fold during rhIL-12 administration and returned to pretreatment baseline levels after discontinuation of rhIL-12. CD56(bright) NK cells expanded dramatically in the blood of a patient with baseline lymphopenia before rhIL-12 therapy. In vitro proliferation of patient PBMCs in response to IL-12 was indistinguishable from that of PBMCs obtained from healthy control sub-jects. Moreover, spontaneous in vitro proliferation of patient PBMCs increased significantly during rhIL-12 therapy. Increased levels of IFN-gamma and IL-18 were detected in the serum of patients treated in the 100 and 250 ng/kg dose cohorts during the first multiple dose cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
Expansion of T, B, and NK cells occurs in vivo during rhIL-12 therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies. In contrast to their striking defect in IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production, posttransplant patient PBMCs exhibit normal proliferative responses to IL-12 in vitro. Additional investigation of rhIL-12 for posttransplantation immunotherapy is warranted.
Pelloso
David
D
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
Cyran
Katherine
K
Timmons
Lynette
L
Williams
Brian T
BT
Robertson
Michael J
MJ
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12