Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0018133 (graft-versus-host disease)
 18,032 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Dermatopathologists observe mononuclear leukocytes in close apposition to keratinocytes (KCs) in graft versus host disease and in other lymphocyte-mediated skin diseases, such as lichen planus, erythema multiforme, and lupus erythematosus. Since the KCs are Class II histocompatibility antigen (HLA-DR) positive in these diseases (indicating local production of gamma interferon, IFN-gamma, by activated T-cells), we sought to determine whether IFN-gamma treatment of KCs would influence the ability of allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBMLs) to adhere to cultured KCs in vitro. The adherence of PBMLs to KC monolayers was determined by the three following methods: (a) methanol fixation of the washed KCs (after PBML incubation), followed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and direct counting of adherent PBMLs; (b) fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeling of PBML, followed by measuring the amount of FITC-PBML bound to KCs after washing either by direct visualization with a fluorescence microscope; or by (c) quantitative fluorescence spectroscopy following lysis of the adherent cells. While untreated KCs bound allogeneic PBMLs minimally 15-120 min at 37 degrees C, pretreatment of the KCs with IFN-gamma (300 U/ml, 3 days) produced significantly increased binding of the PBMLs by approximately fivefold. By contrast, IFN-alpha and IFN-beta (10(3) U/ml) had no effect. Also, despite the induction of HLA-DR on cultured human fibroblasts, no increased binding of PBMLs after IFN-gamma treatment was observed. The selective ability of IFN-gamma to produce a marked increase in adherence between KCs and PBMLs suggests a new role for IFN-gamma in the immunobiology of the skin.
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PMID:Enhanced binding of peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes to gamma-interferon-treated cultured keratinocytes. 244 18

We have shown previously that high levels of IFN-beta were generated in vitro from spleen cells obtained from mice experiencing graft vs host disease (GVHD). However, very little or no IFN-gamma was found in these cultures even when IL-2 or Con A was added as a stimulant of IFN-gamma production. This study was undertaken to determine if the IFNs were similarly produced in vivo during the GVH reaction and to further explore the inability of GVHD spleen cells to produce IFN-gamma in vitro. GVHD was induced across minor histocompatibilities by the i.v. injection of B10.D2 spleen cells into sub-lethally irradiated BALB/c mice. Using cytoplasmic immunofluorescence to detect IFN-beta and -gamma, both IFNs were readily detectable in vivo in spleens of mice undergoing GVHD. IFN-gamma demonstrated a distinct distribution pattern, localizing in the peri-arteriolar lymphoid regions of the spleen, whereas IFN-beta immunofluorescence appeared diffusely in all areas. Expression of both IFN-beta and -gamma was shown to be dependent on the GVH reaction, inasmuch as syngeneic controls and mice given T cell-depleted donor cells had little immunofluorescence. These results contradict in vitro data in that IFN-gamma cannot be found in GVHD spleen cell cultures even in the presence of Con A. This in vitro unresponsiveness appeared to be due to the mixing of different cell populations as a result of preparing splenic single-cell suspensions. Percoll gradient fractionation of GVH spleen cells yielded a cell population which, when stimulated with Con A, produced IFN-gamma and underwent cell proliferation. This study represents the first description of the in vivo splenic distributions of IFN-beta and -gamma during GVHD, and presents data that suggest that in vitro results may not truly reflect in vivo immune responsiveness. Thus, the IFNs may play a critical role in the complex events leading to the GVHD syndrome.
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PMID:In vivo and in vitro production of IFN-beta and IFN-gamma during graft vs host disease. 314 98

In a patient undergoing allogeneic BMT for chronic phase CML, de novo chronic GVHD developed within 80 days after transplantation. Eighteen months post-BMT, high serum levels of neutralizing interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) antibodies were detected, which persisted despite continuous immunosuppressive treatment. The antibodies were of oligoclonal or polyclonal origin, predominantly of the IgG1 type, and reacted broadly with various human IFN-alpha types, including the patients endogenous IFN-alpha, but failed to recognize natural IFN-beta and recombinant IFN-gamma. Pathogenesis and clinical impact of the IFN-alpha antibodies are unknown. Antibodies of cytokines are a novel class of autoantibodies that may develop after allogeneic BMT and interfere with cytokine homeostasis and immune regulation.
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PMID:High-titre interferon-alpha antibodies in a patient with chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. 799 79

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) display unique suppressive properties on T-cell immunity, thus representing an attractive vehicle for the treatment of conditions associated with harmful T-cell responses such as organ-specific autoimmunity and graft-versus-host disease. Toll-like receptors (TLR) are primarily expressed on antigen-presenting cells and recognize conserved pathogen-derived components. Ligation of TLR activates multiple innate and adaptive immune response pathways to eliminate and protect against invading pathogens. In this work, we show that TLR expressed on human bone marrow-derived MSC enhanced the immunosuppressive phenotype of MSC. Immunosuppression mediated by TLR was dependent on the production of immunosuppressive kynurenines by the tryptophan-degrading enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1). Induction of IDO1 by TLR involved an autocrine interferon (IFN)-beta signaling loop, which was dependent on protein kinase R (PKR), but independent of IFN-gamma. These data define a new role for TLR in MSC immunobiology, which is to augment the immunosuppressive properties of MSC in the absence of IFN-gamma rather than inducing proinflammatory immune response pathways. PKR and IFN-beta play a central, previously unidentified role in orchestrating the production of immunosuppressive kynurenines by MSC.
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PMID:Toll-like receptor engagement enhances the immunosuppressive properties of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by inducing indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 via interferon-beta and protein kinase R. 1935 19