Background: The human mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) is an important model for allogeneic recognition established in the clinical routine of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The measurement of proliferation in the MLC has no high predictive value either for the rejection nor for the graft-versus-host-disease and may not be used for the transplantation of cadaveric allografts because of its long duration.
Method: Since cytokines in the MLC represent more specific parameters, a two-way MLC measuring cytokine release on protein level was developed. In this system, IFN-gamma played a key role inducing the cytotoxic reaction, the monocyte activation and the IL-2-induced cell proliferation.
Result: Further, a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the MLC was established that detects mRNA of a broad panel of cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta).
Conclusion: The expression of mRNA allows to evaluate the cellular-mediated and the humoral-mediated immune response as well as the endogenous suppression between recipient and donor in a prospective manner. Since this method takes only several hours, it may be suitable not only for BMT but also for the transplantation of cadaveric allografts. In conclusion, cytokine-MLC by RT-PCR might be an important step for prospective testing of immunological compatibility in transplantation medicine.