Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the sera of patients with aplastic anemia |
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Authors: | Dr H Schrezenmeier Dr A Raghavachar H Heimpel |
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Affiliation: | (1) Abteilung Innere Medizin III, Universität Ulm, Robert-Koch-Strasse 8, W-7900 Ulm, FRG |
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Abstract: | Summary To clarify the role of growth factors in the pathophysiology of aplastic anemia we measured serum granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels in 33 aplastic anemia patients by a specific and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. GM-CSF serum levels of patients with aplastic anemia were significantly higher than in healthy volunteers. GM-CSF levels were correlated with the severity of aplastic anemia but not with the absolute neutrophil count. Since T lymphocytes are one of the main sources of GM-CSF, our data provide further evidence for in vivo T lymphocyte activation in aplastic anemia. GM-CSF serum levels are higher in patients responding to immunosuppressive treatment than in nonresponders. Elevated serum GM-CSF might be predictive of a good response to immuno-suppressive therapy. GM-CSF serum levels are lower immediately after treatment with antilymphocyte globulin/antithymocyte globulin (ALG/ATG) than corresponding pretreatment values. Thus we cannot confirm the hypothesis that ALG/ATG effects in vivo are mediated by stimulating the release of growth factors. We conclude that in aplastic anemia the primary defect is a failure in GM-CSF response rather than in GM-CSF supply.Abbreviations AA
aplastic anemia
- ALG
antilymphocyte globulin
- ATG
antithymocyte globulin
- CyA
cyclosporine A
- ELISA
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- Epo
erythropoietin
- G-CSF
granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
- GM-CSF
granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
- IFN-
interferon-
- IL
interleukin
- MP
methylprednisolone
- nSAA
nonsevere aplastic anemia
- rh
recombinant human
- SAA
severe aplastic anemia
- TNF-
tumor necrosis factor-
Dedicated to Prof. Dr. N. Zöllner on the occasion of his 70th birthday |
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Keywords: | Aplastic anemia Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor Immunosuppression Serum levels T lymphocytes |
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