INTERLEUKIN (IL)-18 IN ACUTE GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE

白细胞介素-18 （IL-18）在IL-12存在下增加IFN-γ的产生。IFN-γ和IL-12是参与同种异体骨髓移植（BMT）后急性移植物抗宿主病（aGVHD）发病机制的细胞因子。为了阐明血清IL-18与aGVHD的关系，我们连续测定了同种异体血液恶性肿瘤患者的血清IL-18水平。BMT。急性和慢性白血病患者在BMT前的循环IL-18在正常范围内，并且通过强化化疗和/或全身照射进行预处理不会改变IL-18。aGVHD患者IL-18水平高，与aGVHD的严重程度密切相关。在aGVHD期间观察到IFN-γ的巧合升高，但在感染期间也观察到IFN-γ的升高。在aGVHD期间，血清IL-12水平与血清IL-18水平无关。这些结果提示IL-18可能参与aGVHD的发病机制，血清IL-18水平的测定可作为aGVHD的有效指标。

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) augments IFN-γproduction in the presence of IL-12. IFN-γ and IL-12 are the cytokines that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). To elucidate the association of serum IL-18 and aGVHD, we serially measured serum levels of IL-18 in the patients with hematological malignancy after allogeneic. BMT. Circulating IL-18 was within the normal range in patients with acute and chronic leukemias in remission before BMT, and it did not change by preconditioning with intensive chemotherapy and/or total body irradiation. Patients with aGVHD had high levels of IL-18 that strongly correlated with the severity of aGVHD. Coincidental elevation of IFN-γ was observed during aGVHD but the elevation of IFN-γ was also observed during infection. Serum IL-12 levels did not correlate with serum IL-18 levels during aGVHD. These findings suggest that IL-18 may take part in the pathogenesis of aGVHD and that measurement of serum IL-18 levels can be useful indicator of aGVHD.