Objective: To study the role of interleukin (IL)-10 in acute-graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and graft rejection.
Methods: Serum concentrations of IL-10 in 28 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) were measured by enzymed-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-10 gene expression in peripheral mononuclear cells was measured by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after transplantation.
Results: Seven patients developed grade I GVHD, 7 patients developed grade II-IV GVHD, 4 patients had graft rejection. Before transplantation, the concentrations of IL-10 were higher in patients who later did not developed aGVHD. After transplantation, IL-10 levels increased in patients without aGVHD, but decreased in patients with aGVHD or graft rejection. And IL-10mRNA was more frequent in patients without aGVHD compared to those with aGVHD.
Conclusions: IL-10 plays a negative role in the development of aGVHD and graft rejection.