Role of perforin-mediated cell apoptosis in murine models of infusion-induced bone marrow failure.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of perforin-mediated cell apoptosis in murine models of immune-mediated bone marrow (BM) failure.


METHODS
We compared C57BL/6J (B6) mice carrying a perforin gene deletion (Prf(-/-)) with wild-type (WT) controls for cellular composition in lymphohematopoietic tissues. Lymph node (LN) cells from Prf(-/-) mice were coincubated with BM cells from B10-H2(b)/LilMcdJ (C.B10) mice in an apoptosis assay in vitro. We then infused Prf(-/-) and WT B6 LN cells into sublethally irradiated C.B10 and CByB6F1 recipients with mismatches at the minor and major histocompatibility loci, respectively, in order to induce BM failure. Cellular composition was analyzed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Prf(-/-) mice showed normal lymphoid cell composition, but Prf(-/-) LN cells had reduced ability to induce C.B10 BM cell apoptosis in vitro. Infusion of 5 to 10 x 10(6) Prf(-/-) LN cells produced obvious BM failure in C.B10 and CByB6F1 recipients; pancytopenia and BM hypocellularity were only slightly less severe than those caused by infusion of 5 x 10(6) WT B6 LN cells. Infused Prf(-/-) LN cells showed less T-cell expansion, normal T-cell activation, and higher proportions of T cells expressing gamma-interferon, tissue necrosis factor-alpha, and Fas ligand CD178, in comparison to infused WT B6 LN cells. Fas expression was equally high in residual BM cells in recipient of both Prf(-/-) and B6 LN cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Perforin deficiency alters T-cell expansion but upregulates T-cell Fas ligand expression. Perforin-mediated cell death appears to play a minor role in mouse models of immune-mediated BM failure.
Sarcon
Annahita K
AK
Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1202, USA.
Desierto
Marie J
MJ
Zhou
Wenjun
W
Visconte
Valeria
V
Gibellini
Federica
F
Chen
Jichun
J
Young
Neal S
NS
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D023421:Models, Animal; D054353:Perforin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D054353:Perforin