IL2‐ and IL4‐dependent proliferation of T‐cell clones derived early after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: Studies of patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia

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Abstract
In an attempt to explore T-cell functions shortly after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation more fully, IL2- and IL4-dependent proliferation was assessed on CD4+ TCRαβ+ T-cell clones derived 4–6 weeks after transplantation. Both allogeneic pooled peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B-cell lines (BCL) could function as accessory cells (AC) for PHA activation of T-cell clones. Although minimal clonal proliferation was seen when the T-cell activation signal was BCL + PHA + IL4, a majority of the clones could undergo IL4-dependent proliferation after previous activation with AC + PHA + IL2. For certain clones, IL4 also showed an additive effect with IL2. Thus, IL4 was a growth factor for a majority of the investigated posttransplant T-cell clones, and in vivo modulation of IL4-dependent T-cell functions may thus become a future therapeutic possibility to enhance graft-versus-leukaemia effects in bone marrow transplant recipients.