Inhibition of graft-versus-host disease: Use of a T cell-controlled suicide gene

M. Helene V. Lake-Bullock, J. Scott Bryson, C. Dorrell Jennings, Alan M. Kaplan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. T cell depletion of the marrow graft, which is currently used to prevent GVHD, has been shown to result in increased graft failure and leukemia relapse. To explore the feasibility of controlling GVHD, transgenic mice with the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase suicide gene linked to the IL-2 promoter were used as a source of T cells to induce GVHD, which would be modulated with ganciclovir. Injection of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase transgenic B10.A(5R) spleen cells into lethally irradiated DBA/2 mice resulted in severe acute GVHD. Treatment of the recipient mice with ganciclovir significantly inhibited GVHD-mediated weight loss and mortality and reduced the severity of inflam-mation in the target organs of GVHD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5079-5082
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume158
Issue number11
StatePublished - 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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