Induction of murine syngeneic graft-versus-host disease by cells of recipient origin.
BACKGROUND
Syngeneic graft-versus-host disease (SGVHD) develops after lethal irradiation, reconstitution with syngeneic bone marrow (BM), and treatment with a 21-day course of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CsA). Clinical symptoms of SGVHD appear 2-3 weeks after CsA treatment, with inflammation in the colon and liver. It has been demonstrated that CD4+ T cells and a T helper cell type 1 cytokine response (Th1) are involved in the development of SGVHD associated intestinal inflammation. The immune response associated with SGVHD is thought to be the result of the reconstitution of the recipient immune system with the syngeneic donor BM. However, definitive studies have not addressed this issue experimentally.


METHODS
To determine the origin of the effector cells that participate in SGVHD, C3H/HeN recipient mice were lethally irradiated and transplanted with BM from normal immunocompetent mice or from immunodeficient, severe combined immune deficient, or Rag-2-/- animals.


RESULTS
CsA-treated animals, but not control animals, developed inflammation characteristic of SGVHD in the colon and liver regardless of the source of the donor marrow. Furthermore, immunologically, all CsA treated animals responded similarly with increased production of inflammatory cytokines and an increase in activated CD4+ T cells in the periphery and colon relative to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that after lethal irradiation and in the absence of donor T cells, T cells of recipient origin can expand and mediate the induction of CsA-induced SGVHD.
Brandon
J Anthony
JA
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
Jennings
C Darrell
CD
Perez
Jacqueline
J
Caywood
Betty
B
Alapat
Daisy
D
Kaplan
Alan M
AM
Bryson
J Scott
JS
D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016513:Mice, SCID; D023421:Models, Animal; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine