Cytokine activity after human bone marrow transplantation. Production of interferons by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 43 recipients of HLA-identical sibling bone marrow transplants were tested for their capacity to produce IFN after stimulation in vitro with PHA. Total IFN production, as measured in a bioassay, and production of IFN-gamma, measured by radioimmunoassay, was within or above the normal range (mean production by PBMC from normal persons +/- 2 SD) for 29 of 39 and 31 of 43 recipients, respectively. Production did not correlate with time after transplant, or with the presence or type of immunosuppressive chemotherapy used, although there was a tendency for lower production in recipients with chronic graft-vs-host disease. This near normal production of IFN contrasts with our previous observation that IL 2 production in bone marrow transplant recipients is severely impaired for at least 6 mo post-transplant.