Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Levels in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients with Acute Leukemia

Abstract

Hirokawa, M., Takatsu, H., Niitsu, H., Nishinari, T., Nimura, T., Itoh, T., Chubachi, A., Miura, I., Yoshida, K., Endo, Y. and Miura, A.B. Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Levels in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients with Acute Leukemia. Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1989, 159 (3), 237-244-We determined the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients in order to evaluate the relationship between TNF and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Eight patients with acute leukemia receiving an HLA-identical marrow graft were studied. Samples from healthy subjects and pretransplant recipients were all negative for TNF. Six of eight patients had detectable levels of TNF in serum after transplantation. All three patients with acute GVHD, and three of five patients without acute GVHD had elevated TNF levels in serum. Among the patients with increased TNF levels, documented infection was demonstrated in only one patient, with a clinical diagnosis of B 19 parvovirus infection. Serum TNF levels were elevated when the WBC counts were more than 2, 000/μl. However, serum concentrations of TNF significantly correlated with body temperature. Although we could not conclude definitely that serum TNF levels correlated with severity of GVHD, it was suggested that TNF may be produced as a result of latent infections or immunological reaction against non-HLA allogeneic antigens. © 1989, Tohoku University Medical Press. All rights reserved.