Kinetics of serum cytokine levels in pediatric patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (Gvhd) After transplantation

Abstract

We aimed to study the correlation of serum cytokine levels with GVHD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HST). From 1997 to 1999, serum samples were serially collected (3 times per week) from 20 HST subjects. Serum levels of interferon (IFN) γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and IL-15 were assessed using commercial ELISA kits, (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, USA). The median age of transplant patients was 8.46 years. There were 1 subject with grade IV disease, 2 with grade III disease, 6 with grade II disease, 3 with grade I disease and 8 without any clinical evidence of GVHD. The mean peak serum levels of IL-10 and IL-15 were 43.2 ± 37.5 pg/ml and 49.3 ± 16.2 pg/ml in GVHD subjects respectively while they were 18.6 ± 9.0 pg/ml and 19.9 ± 5.9 pg/ml in subjects without GVHD (p < 0.05). The peak level occurred around one week from transplant. Serum IFN and IL-12 levels were not significantly different between the 2 groups. We suggested that the serum level of IL-10 and IL-15 may reflect the development of GVHD, possibly mediated by the disturbance of T cells and monocytes/macrophages. The response of the individual to the transplant conditioning could be a factor leading to the surge of IL-10 and IL-15 levels within 1 week following HST.