Alterations in T cell-derived colony-stimulating factors associated with GVH-induced immune deficiency

Injection of parental C57BL/10 spleen cells into unirradiated immune-competent (B10 x B10.BR)F1 hosts has been demonstrated to produce a graft-vs.-host-induced immune deficiency in T cell-mediated functions, including mitogen or alloantigen stimulated proliferation or cytotoxic T cell generation. The production of T cell-derived lymphokines affecting hematopoiesis was also altered during GVH. During the first two weeks of GVH, IL-3 and particularly GM-CSF were produced spontaneously; in subsequent weeks, the spontaneous production dropped to normal or subnormal levels. CSF content in concanavalin A-stimulated splenic supernatants was reduced at weeks 1-2, and declined to less than 5% of normal levels by 3-4 weeks of GVH. This decline in CSF content was correlated with a decrease in immune function as assessed by concanavalin A-stimulated IL-2 production and by generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Concurrent with the recovery of immune function during GVH weeks 8-15, mitogen-stimulated production of CSF returned to normal levels. In addition to the decrease in CSF production identified in acute suppressive GVH, CSF content in concanavalin A-stimulated splenic supernatants was also decreased in chronic stimulatory GVH, generated in the strain combination (B6 x B6bm1)F1---(B6bm1 x B6bm12)F1. This decrease in CSF production correlated with a decrease in self-restricted T helper cell function. Finally, a decrease in both immune function and CSF production capacity was observed in the acute GVH following allogeneic (minor histocompatibility loci) bone marrow transplantation into irradiated hosts.