Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced immature myeloid cells inhibit acute graft-versus-host disease lethality through an indoleamine dioxygenase-independent mechanism

Immunology. 2009 Sep;128(1 Suppl):e632-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2009.03048.x. Epub 2009 Jan 12.

Abstract

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized donor graft tissue used for peripheral blood stem cell transplantation contains a large number of immature myeloid cells that suppress alloreactive donor T cells, resulting in an inhibition of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the suppressive function of immature myeloid cells is not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is related to the suppressive mechanism of G-CSF-induced immature myeloid cells (gMCs). We found that Gr-1(+) CD11b(+) cells were highly induced in G-CSF-injected donor graft tissue, which is a phenotype of immature myeloid cells, resulting in an inhibition of acute GVHD lethality by suppressing alloreactive donor T-cell expansion. IDO was not detected in primary isolated gMCs; however, this enzyme was markedly induced after treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). This level was significantly higher in IFN-gamma-treated gMCs than in bone marrow myeloid cells, which promote alloreactive T-cell responses. We next investigated the functional role of IDO in gMC-mediated inhibition of acute GVHD lethality. We found no changes in gMC-mediated survival or alloreactive donor T-cell suppression when IDO activity was blocked using 1-methyl tryptophan. In addition, there was no difference in gMC-mediated survival rates between recipients transferred with either wild-type gMCs or IDO(-/-) gMCs. Taken together, our data suggest that gMC-mediated inhibition of lethal acute GVHD is through an IDO-independent mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Cell Transplantation
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / immunology*
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Immunosuppression Therapy*
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / genetics
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / immunology*
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / metabolism
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myeloid Cells / drug effects*
  • Myeloid Cells / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Interferon-gamma