Serum interleukin-12 levels in patients undergoing allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation.

Cytokines may be helpful in promoting hematopoietic reconstitution but have also an impact on the cellular interactions that contribute to GvHD and immunologic graft rejection. Because IL-12 is emerging as a central cytokine in immune response, we have investigated its levels in serum samples of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation and transplant-related events. A double-antibody radioimmunoassay method for monitoring levels of endogenous IL-12, before and after allogeneic (27 patients) or autologous (19 patients) bone marrow transplantation, was used. The serum levels of IL-12 after allogeneic BMT were found to be relatively low (140-300 pg/ml) and similar to the IL-12 levels in the healthy donors (183 pg/ml). Seric IL-12 levels following autologous BMT (350 pg/ml) were higher than those observed in patients receiving an allogeneic BMT and in healthy donors. Our data indicate that the occurrence of GvHD and the development of infection after allogeneic BMT are not associated with IL-12 induction which suggests a possible down-regulation due to immunosuppressive treatment.