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Biomedical subjects

L Pan

Publications and source records attributed to L Pan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Exploration of factors increasing transfer efficiency of retroviral mediated multidrug resistance gene (mdr1) into human CD(34)(+) cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore factors influencing transfer of retroviral mediated multidrug resistance gene (mdr1) into human CD(34)(+) cells. METHODS: Transduction efficiency in the presence of different combinations of cytokines and human bone marrow stromal cells plus cytokines were determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Drug resistance was evaluated by plating yields of cultured hematopoietic progenitor cells. The effect of Taxol at different concentrations on mdr1 gene transfer cells was determined by FCM. RESULT: Transduction efficiency in the presence of SCF + FL + IL-3 was higher than that in other combinations of cytokines (SCF + IL-6 + IL-3, SCF + IL-6 + IL-3 + Tpo, SCF + IL-3). Transduction efficiency (20.5%) in the presence of bone marrow stromal cells plus cytokines (SCF + FL + IL-3) was higher than that (15.2%) without stromal cells, and the number of drug-resistant colony-forming cells was more in the former than in the latter. The percentage of CD(34)(+) cell with the gene transduction at 10 ng/ml Taxol reached 38.5%. CONCLUSION: Human bone marrow stromal cells plus cytokines (SCF + FL + IL-3) is more effective in enhancing mdr1 gene transduction. Taxol at a certain concentration can enrich mdr1 gene transferred cells.

Antigens, CD34↗

[Mechanism of tissue factor expression on NB4 cells down-regulated by all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate molecular mechanism of tissue factor (TF) expression on acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line NB4 cells down-regulated by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)). METHODS: Cyclohexamide (CHX) inhibition test for de novo protein synthesis and actinomycin D (Act D) inhibition test for RNA synthesis were used to check the effect of ATRA on the TF expression. TF antigen of U937 cells transfected with pMSCV-PML-RARalpha treated with or without ATRA and As(2)O(3) was detected. RESULTS: CHX treatment completely suppressed the down-regulation effect of ATRA on the TF mRNA expression, Act D inhibition test showed that half-life of TF mRNA in treated NB4 cells was shortened to about 30 min from that of around 60 min in untreated NB4 cells. The TF antigen contents in U937 cells transfected with pMSCV-PML-RARalpha were significantly higher than that in transfected U937 cells with retrovirus vector. Both ATRA and As(2)O(3) could down-regulate the TF antigen level in U937 cells transfected with or without PML-RARalpha. CONCLUSION: The modulation of the TF mRNA expression in NB4 cells by ATRA might be indirect. TF mRNA destabilization was involved in the TF regulation process mediated by ATRA. Elevated TF antigen level in U937 cells transfected with pMSCV-PML-RARalpha may be related to the fusion protein PML-RARalpha. The down-regulation effect of ATRA and As(2)O(3) on the TF expression of U937 cells might not involve the fusion protein.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[The pathological changes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases treated by stereotactic radiosurgery].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological changes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases after the treatment of stereotactic radiosurgery. METHOD: 15 cases with recurrent or residual squamous cell carcinoma of nasopharynx diagnosed as T1-4 N0M0 were selected, which had undergone previous radiotherapy. The patients were treated by Gamma Knife while the isodose curve was 50% and the margin dose was 20 Gy. The nasopharynx biopsy was performed before the treatment and 1, 3, 6, 12 months after the treatment. The biopsy specimen was taken to make a pathological examination. RESULT: 1. Before the Gamma Knife treatment, carcinoma cell could be seen in the tissue; 2. 1-3 months after the treatment, cell necrosis and acute inflammation cell infiltration could be seen in the target; 3. 6-12 months after the treatment, infiltration of chronic inflammation cell, proliferation of fibrous tissue and capillary could be found in the target. CONCLUSION: This research implies that the short-term pathological changes after the treatment of stereotactic radiosurgery can be defined as two phases: The first phase occurs from 1 to 3 months after the treatment called necrosis period. The second phase occurs from 6 to 12 months after the Gamma Knife treatment named as absorption period.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

[Laser-time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in immunoassays].

This paper described a laser-excited time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay set. It made lanthanide ion to couple the anhydrde of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPAA) for labeling antibodies. The experiment used polystyrene tap coated with HCV antigen as the solid phase and a chelate of the rare earth metal europium as fluorescent label. A nitrogen laser beam was used to excite the Eu3- chelates and after 60 microseconds delay time, the emission fluorescence was measured. Background fluorescence of short lifetimes caused by serum components and Raman scattering can be eliminated by set the delay time. In the system condition, fluorescent spectra and fluorescent lifetimes of Eu3+ beta-naphthoyltrifluroacetone (NTA) chelates were measured. The fluorescent lifetime value is 650 microseconds. The maximum emission wavelength is 613 nm. The linear range of europium ion concentration is 1 x 10(-7)-1 x 10(-11) g.mL-1 and the detection limit is 1 x 10(-13) g.mL-1. The relative standard deviation of determination (n = 12) for samples at 0.01 ng.mL-1 magnitude is 6.4%. Laser-TRFIA was also found to be suitable for diagnosis of HCV. The sensitivity and specificity were comparable to enzyme immunoassay. The result was obtained with laser-TRFIA for 29 human correlated well with enzyme immunoassay.

Animals↗

Evolutionally conserved plant homologue of the Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) gene capable of suppressing Bax-induced cell death in yeast(1).

The plant homologue of Bax Inhibitor-1, a gene described to suppress the cell death induced by Bax gene expression in yeast, was isolated from Oryza sativa L. (rice) and Arabidopsis. The amino acid sequence of the predicted protein was well conserved in both animal and plant (45% in amino acids) and contained six or seven membrane-spanning segments. Northern blot analysis showed that OsBI-1 transcripts were present in all tissues examined. The OsBI-1 cDNA suppressed cell death induced by mammalian Bax in yeast, suggesting functional conservation of this BI-1 homologue in the plant kingdom.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Stat protein transactivation domains recruit p300/CBP through widely divergent sequences.

The signal transduction and activator of transcription (Stat) gene family has been highly conserved throughout evolution. Gene duplication and divergence has produced 7 mammalian Stat genes, each of which mediates a distinct process. While some Stat proteins are activated by multiple cytokines, Stat2 is highly specific for responses to type I interferon. We have cloned mouse Stat2 and found that while its sequence was more divergent from its human homologue than any other mouse-human Stat pairs, it was fully functional even in human cells. Overall sequence identity was only 69%, compared with 85-99% similarity for other Stat genes, and several individual domains that still served similar or identical functions in both species were even less well conserved. The coiled-coil domain responsible for interaction with IRF9 was only 65% identical and yet mouse Stat2 interacted with either human or mouse IRF9; the carboxyl terminus was only 30% identical and yet both regions functioned as equal transactivation domains. Both mouse and human transactivation domains recruited the p300/CBP coactivator and were equally sensitive to inhibition by adenovirus E1A protein. Interestingly, the Stat3 carboxyl terminus also functioned as a transactivator capable of recruiting p300/CBP, as does the Stat1 protein, although with widely differing potencies. Yet these proteins share no sequence similarity with Stat2. These data demonstrate that highly diverged primary sequences can serve similar or identical functions, and that the minimal regions of similarity between human and mouse Stat2 may define the critical determinants for function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human anti-porcine T cell response: blocking with anti-class I antibody leads to hyporesponsiveness and a switch in cytokine production.

Intervention in the molecular interactions that lead to an immune response is possible at various stages of Ag recognition and T cell activation. Perturbation of the interaction of the TCR with the MHC/peptide ligand complex is one approach that has shown promise for autoimmunity and graft rejection in blocking T cell-activated responses. In this study, we investigated the effect of altering the target MHC class I molecule by blocking with Abs. We established a system that analyzed the human T cell response against MHC class I+/class II- porcine stimulatory cell targets. The primary human response against porcine smooth muscle cells was CD8+ T cell dependent. In the presence of F(ab')2 fragments of the MHC class I-reactive Ab, PT-85, the proliferative response was inhibited and production of IL-2 and IFN-gamma was blocked. Moreover, in a secondary response, proliferation was reduced and type 1 cytokine levels were inhibited. In contrast, levels of IL-10 and IL-4 were sustained or slightly increased. These findings indicate that Ab against MHC class I blocked the recognition of porcine cells by the human CD8+ T cells and altered the cytokine secretion profile. Thus, a single treatment with PT-85 F(ab')2 directed against the MHC class I molecule provides an attractive approach to the induction of T cell tolerance that may provide long-term graft survival in porcine-to-human cell transplantation.

Animals↗

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized allogeneic stem cell transplantation maintains graft-versus-leukemia effects through a perforin-dependent pathway while preventing graft-versus-host disease.

Minimization of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) with preservation of the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect is a crucial step to improve the overall survival of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for patients with hematological malignancies. We and other investigators have shown that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) reduces the severity of acute GVHD in murine models. In this study, we investigated whether G-CSF-mobilized PBSC maintain their GVL effect in a murine allogeneic transplant model (B6 --> B6D2F1). B6 mice (H-2(b)) were injected subcutaneously with human G-CSF (100 micrograms/kg/d) for 6 days and their splenocytes were harvested on day 7 as a source of PBSC. G-CSF mobilization dramatically improved transplant survival compared with nonmobilized controls (95% v 0%, P <.001). Systemic levels of lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were markedly reduced in recipients of allogeneic G-CSF-mobilized donors, but cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity against host tumor target cells p815 was retained in those recipients. When leukemia was induced in recipients by coinjection of p815 tumor cells (H-2(d)) at the time of transplantation, all surviving recipients of G-CSF-mobilized B6 donors were leukemia-free at day 70 after transplant, whereas all mice who received T-cell-depleted (TCD) splenocytes from G-CSF-mobilized B6 donors died of leukemia. When splenocytes from G-CSF-mobilized perforin-deficient (pfp-/-) mice were used for transplantation, 90% of recipients died of leukemia, demonstrating that perforin is a crucial pathway mediating GVL effects after G-CSF-mobilized PBSCT. These data illustrate that G-CSF-mobilized allogeneic PBSCT separate GVL from GVHD by preserving perforin-dependent donor CTL activity while reducing systemic inflammation.

Animals↗

High-performance liquid chromatography separation and quantitation of ofloxacin enantiomers in rat microsomes.

A sensitive, simple and accurate method for determination of enantiomers of ofloxacin in microsomal incubates was developed by chiral ligand-exchange RP-HPLC with fluorescence detection to examine stereoselective metabolism of ofloxacin in the glucuronidation process. The C18 stationary phase was used as analytical column. The solution of chiral mobile phase additive was made up of 6 mM L-phenylalamine mixed with 3 mM CuSO4 in water. Mobile phase consisted of the solution of chiral mobile phase additive-methanol (86:14). The fluorescence detector was operated at lambda(ex) 330 nm and lambda(em) 505 nm. The flow-rate of mobile phase was set at 1.0 ml/min. The achiral ODS column offers good separation of the two enantiomers in less than 25 min. The recovery of the assay was 97.9+/-6.1% (n=10) for S-ofloxacin and 99.6+/-6.0% (n = 10) for R-ofloxacin. The method provides a high sensitivity and good precision (RSD<10%). The LOD was 0.6 microM for both enantiomers and the LOQ was 5.70+/-0.45 microM (n=8) for S-ofloxacin and 5.66+/-0.47 microM (n=8) for R-ofloxacin. The standard curves showed excellent linearity over the concentration range 5.5-2078 microM for S-(-)-ofloxacin and R-(+)-ofloxacin. The enantioselective method developed has been applied to determine the stereoselectivity of glucuronidation metabolism of ofloxacin optical isomers in rat liver microsomes.

Animals↗

Bcl10 is involved in t(1;14)(p22;q32) of MALT B cell lymphoma and mutated in multiple tumor types.

MALT B cell lymphomas with t(1;14)(p22;q32) showed a recurrent breakpoint upstream of the promoter of a novel gene, Bcl10. Bcl10 is a cellular homolog of the equine herpesvirus-2 E10 gene: both contain an amino-terminal caspase recruitment domain (CARD) homologous to that found in several apoptotic molecules. Bcl10 and E10 activated NF-kappaB but caused apoptosis of 293 cells. Bcl10 expressed in a MALT lymphoma exhibited a frameshift mutation resulting in truncation distal to the CARD. Truncated Bcl10 activated NF-kappaB but did not induce apoptosis. Wild-type Bcl10 suppressed transformation, whereas mutant forms had lost this activity and displayed gain-of-function transforming activity. Similar mutations were detected in other tumor types, indicating that Bcl10 may be commonly involved in the pathogenesis of human malignancy.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

In vitro study on the involvement of CYP1A2, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in the metabolism of haloperidol and reduced haloperidol.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in vitro which CYP isoforms (CYP1A2, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4) are involved in the biotransformation of haloperidol (HAL) and reduced haloperidol (RHAL). METHODS: The biotransformation of HAL and RHAL is evaluated by measuring HAL and RHAL remaining after incubation with human liver microsomes and with supersomes from human baculovirus-infected cells expressing human P(450) isoforms. The influence of chemical- and immuno-inhibition of specific isoforms on the disappearance of HAL and RHAL was also studied. RESULTS: After 60-min incubation of 2 microM and 20 microM HAL or RHAL with human liver microsomes, for HAL, 58% and 64%, respectively, remained in the incubation mixture, for RHAL, 53% and 66%, respectively. Ketoconazole had the most pronounced inhibitory effect on the biotransformation of both substrates, while for quinidine and furafylline there was only a weak or no influence. Anti-CYP3A4 antibodies inhibited strongly the biotransformation of HAL and RHAL, while the influence of anti-CYP2D6 antibodies was much less pronounced. After incubation with supersomes of recombinant CYP3A4, HAL and RHAL disappeared rapidly; disappearance was slow after incubation with CYP2D6 supersomes, and negligible with CYP1A2 supersomes. CONCLUSION: The results show that CYP3A4 is the most important CYP isoenzyme involved in the biotransformation of HAL and RHAL, and that the metabolism by CYP2D6 is only a minor pathway; CYP1A2 has no or only a negligible influence.

Biotransformation↗

A distinctive composite lymphoma consisting of clonally related mantle cell lymphoma and follicle center cell lymphoma.

Although follicle center cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma are both B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), they are regarded as separate entities with distinct clinical, morphological, immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics. To our knowledge, the coexistence of these 2 lymphomas in the same patient has never been reported. We describe a 70-year-old woman with a long-standing history of follicle center cell lymphoma, cytological grade I, who subsequently developed a composite lymphoma consisting of well-demarcated foci of persistent follicle center cell lymphoma surrounded by mantle cell lymphoma. This morphological interpretation was supported by the presence of both bcl-1 and bcl-2 gene rearrangements, which are molecular genetic hallmarks of mantle cell lymphoma and follicle center cell lymphoma, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) genes showed a dominant band identical in size in microdissected tumor cells of the follicle center cell and mantle cell lymphomas. Cloning and sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed a common clone-specific IgH gene rearrangement in these 2 lymphomas. These findings suggest that this composite lymphoma represents the unusual evolution of a malignant B-cell clone that resulted in the development of 2 morphologically distinct but clonally related B-cell NHLs. These findings also show the importance of integrating morphological, immunophenotypic, and molecular data to enhance our understanding of the complex pathogenic interrelationships in lymphomagenesis.

Aged↗

Tissue factors on acute promyelocytic leukemia and endothelial cells are differently regulated by retinoic acid, arsenic trioxide and chemotherapeutic agents.

The aberrant expression of tissue factor (TF) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the APL coagulopathy. In this study, we found that in APL patients receiving ATRA or As2O3 treatment, the improvement in hypercoagulobility and hyperfibrinolysis paralleled the correction of plasma fibrinogen level and amelioration of bleeding symptoms. Notably, clinical improvement was also correlated to ATRA/As2O3-induced rapid decrease of membrane procoagulant activity (PCA) and TF contents of APL blasts. Consistent with the in vivo findings, the membrane PCA, TF antigen and its mRNA level within NB4 cells were rapidly down-regulated by 1 microM ATRA or As2O3, while 0.2 microg/ml DNR increased these TF parameters prior to its effect upon apoptosis induction. The down-regulation of TF mRNA by ATRA was partially de novo protein synthesis-dependent and at least partially attributed to a mechanism of destabilizing TF mRNA. On the other hand, in addition to its modulation on mRNA, As2O3 could also induce an accelerated TF protein turnover. These distinct effects were corroborated with the properties of these agents in causing the degradation of PML-RARalpha protein. All three therapeutic agents, however, enhanced the potential of NB4 cells to stimulate the expression of TF and PCA in endothelium. Taken together, our data suggest that the rapid and distinct regulation of TF on APL cells by these therapeutic agents might at least partially contribute to their effects on APL coagulopathy.

Adolescent↗

Effects of smoking, CYP2D6 genotype, and concomitant drug intake on the steady state plasma concentrations of haloperidol and reduced haloperidol in schizophrenic inpatients.

The effects of smoking, CYP2D6 genotype, and concomitant use of enzyme inducers or inhibitors on the steady state plasma concentrations of haloperidol (HAL) and reduced haloperidol (RHAL) were evaluated in 92 schizophrenic inpatients. All but three of these patients received concomitant medication, in many cases with drugs potentially interacting with HAL. Of the 92 patients, 63 were treated orally with HAL in a daily dose of 0.4 to 50 mg; 29 patients were treated intramuscularly with a daily equivalent dose of HAL decanoate (expressed as HAL) of 1.8 to 17.9 mg. A wide interindividual variation in HAL dose and in steady state plasma concentrations of HAL and RHAL was observed. In the patients treated orally, the daily oral dose was about 4 times higher and the dose-normalized HAL (but not RHAL) plasma concentrations were significantly lower in smokers (n = 40) than in nonsmokers (n = 23) (p < 0.01). The dose-normalized RHAL (but not HAL) plasma concentrations and the RHAL/HAL ratio were significantly higher in poor metabolizers (PMs) than in extensive metabolizers (EMs). There was a trend toward an effect of potentially interacting drugs (inducers or inhibitors) on dose, dose-normalized HAL and RHAL plasma concentrations, and the RHAL/HAL ratio. In the patients treated intramuscularly, the dose-normalized HAL (but not RHAL) plasma concentrations were significantly lower in smokers than in nonsmokers, but no differences in doses were observed. This naturalistic study of modest sample size in a polymedicated population shows an effect of smoking and CYP2D6 genotype (and to a lesser extent, of interacting drugs) on the kinetics of HAL.

Adult↗

Targeted disruption of Smad3 reveals an essential role in transforming growth factor beta-mediated signal transduction.

The Smads are a family of nine related proteins which function as signaling intermediates for the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of ligands. To discern the in vivo functions of one of these Smads, Smad3, we generated mice harboring a targeted disruption of this gene. Smad3 null mice, although smaller than wild-type littermates, are viable, survive to adulthood, and exhibit an early phenotype of forelimb malformation. To study the cellular functions of Smad3, we generated Smad3 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and dermal fibroblasts. We demonstrate that null MEFs have lost the ability to form Smad-containing DNA binding complexes and are unable to induce transcription from the TGF-beta-responsive promoter construct, p3TP-lux. Using the primary dermal fibroblasts, we also demonstrate that Smad3 is integral for induction of endogenous plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. We subsequently demonstrate that Smad3 null MEFs are partially resistant to TGF-beta's antiproliferative effect, thus firmly establishing a role for Smad3 in TGF-beta-mediated growth inhibition. We next examined cells in which Smad3 is most highly expressed, specifically cells of immune origin. Although no specific developmental defect was detected in the immune system of the Smad3 null mice, a functional defect was observed in the ability of TGF-beta to inhibit the proliferation of splenocytes activated by specific stimuli. In addition, primary splenocytes display defects in TGF-beta-mediated repression of cytokine production. These data, taken together, establish a role for Smad3 in mediating the antiproliferative effects of TGF-beta and implicate Smad3 as a potential effector for TGF-beta in modulating immune system function.

Animals↗

Impaired immune responses and B-cell proliferation in mice lacking the Id3 gene.

B-lymphocyte activation and proliferation induced by the B-cell receptor (BCR) signals are important steps in the initiation of humoral immune responses. How the BCR signals are translated by nuclear transcription factors into cell cycle progression is poorly understood. Id3 is an immediate-early gene responding to growth and mitogenic signals in many cell types including B cells. The primary function of the Id3 protein has been defined as that of inhibitor of basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. The interaction between Id3 and bHLH proteins, many of which are essential for cellular differentiation, has been proposed as a key regulatory event leading to cellular proliferation instead of differentiation. To further investigate the role of Id3 in tissue and embryo development and the mechanism of Id3-mediated growth regulation, we generated and analyzed Id3-deficient mice. While these mice display no overt abnormality in tissue and embryo development, their humoral immunity is compromised. The amounts of immunoglobulins produced in Id3-deficient mice immunized with a T-cell-dependent antigen and a type 2 T-cell-independent antigen are attenuated and severely impaired, respectively. Further analysis of lymphocytes isolated from Id3-deficient mice reveals a B-cell defect in their proliferation response to BCR cross-linking but not to lipopolysaccharide or a combination of BCR cross-linking and interleukin-4. Analyses of cultured lymphocytes also suggest involvement of Id3 in cytokine production in T cells and isotype switching in B cells. Finally, the proliferation defect in Id3-deficient B cells can be rescued by ectopic expression of Id1, a homologue of Id3. Taken together, these results define a necessary and specific role for Id3 in mediating signals from BCR to cell cycle progression during humoral immune responses.

Animals↗

Differential roles of IL-1 and TNF-alpha on graft-versus-host disease and graft versus leukemia.

We demonstrate an increase in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after experimental bone marrow transplant (BMT) when cyclophosphamide (Cy) is added to an otherwise well-tolerated dose (900 cGy) of total body irradiation (TBI). Donor T cell expansion on day +13 was increased after conditioning with Cy/TBI compared with Cy or TBI alone, although cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function was not altered. Histological analysis of the gastrointestinal tract demonstrated synergistic damage by Cy/TBI and allogeneic donor cells, which permitted increased translocation of LPS into the systemic circulation. TNF-alpha and IL-1 production in response to LPS was increased in BMT recipients after Cy/TBI conditioning. Neutralization of IL-1 significantly reduced serum LPS levels and GVHD mortality, but it did not affect donor CTL activity. By contrast, neutralization of TNF-alpha did not prevent GVHD mortality but did impair CTL activity after BMT. When P815 leukemia cells were added to the bone marrow inoculum, allogeneic BMT recipients given the TNF-alpha inhibitor relapsed at a significantly faster rate than those given the IL-1 inhibitor. To confirm that the role of TNF-alpha in graft versus leukemia (GVL) was due to effects on donor T cells, cohorts of animals were transplanted with T cells from either wild-type mice or p55 TNF-alpha receptor-deficient mice. Recipients of TNF-alpha p55 receptor-deficient T cells demonstrated a significant impairment in donor CTL activity after BMT and an increased rate of leukemic relapse compared with recipients of wild-type T cells. These data highlight the importance of conditioning in GVHD pathophysiology, and demonstrate that TNF-alpha is critical to GVL mediated by donor T cells, whereas IL-1 is not.

Animals↗

IL-11 separates graft-versus-leukemia effects from graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplantation.

We recently showed that IL-11 prevents lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a murine bone marrow transplantation (BMT) model of GVHD directed against MHC and minor antigens. In this study, we have investigated whether IL-11 can maintain a graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. Lethally irradiated B6D2F1 mice were transplanted with either T cell-depleted (TCD) bone marrow (BM) alone or with BM and splenic T cells from allogeneic B6 donors. Animals also received host-type P815 mastocytoma cells at the time of BMT. Recipients were injected subcutaneously with recombinant human IL-11 or control diluent twice daily, from 2 days before BMT to 7 days after BMT. TCD recipients all died from leukemia by day 23. All control- and IL-11-treated allogeneic animals effectively rejected their leukemia, but IL-11 also reduced GVHD-related mortality. Examination of the cellular mechanisms of GVL and GVHD in this system showed that IL-11 selectively inhibited CD4-mediated GVHD, while retaining both CD4- and CD8-mediated GVL. In addition, IL-11 treatment did not affect cytolytic effector functions of T cells after BMT either in vivo or in vitro. Studies with perforin-deficient donor T cells demonstrated that the GVL effect was perforin dependent. These data demonstrated that IL-11 can significantly reduce CD4-dependent GVHD without impairing cytolytic function or subsequent GVL activity of CD8(+) T cells. Brief treatment with IL-11 shortly after BMT may therefore represent a novel strategy for separating GVHD and GVL.

Animals↗