Expression of cytokine mRNA in PBMCs.

Autologous GVHD can be inducible in recipients of autologous stem cell transplantation by administration of cyclosporine A during 1 to 4 weeks after transplantation. Autocytotoxic activity of PBMCs and increased cytokine message are also detectable in accordance with clonal expansion of T cells until day 36. RNA was harvested from PBMCs of healthy individuals (black bars, n = 8), patients evaluated at onset of autologous GVHD (white bars, n = 17 different time points for 15 patients) and patients without autologous GVHD (gray bars, n = 43 points for 21 patients). cDNA was analyzed for cytokine transcripts including IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 by real-time PCR. Cytokine mRNA levels were normalized against GAPDH and expressed as mean ± SE. **P < .01; patients evaluated at onset of autologous GVHD versus healthy individuals.