Interferon gamma induces differentiation of cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes in vitro and in vivo
Yoshida, Y.
Leukemia 5(9): 796-798
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0887-6924 PMID: 1943231 Document Number: 375825
A recombinant human interferon-gamma (IFN-.gamma.) was added to the clonal and suspension cultures of bone marrow (BM) cells from three patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) before and after IFN-.gamma. therapy. IFN-.gamma. inhibited the hematopoietic progenitor cell growth from normal BM in one patient. In the remaining two patients with RAEB, IFN-.gamma. at lower concentrations (10-102 U/ml) consistently enhanced the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. The addition of IFN-.gamma. to suspension cultures promoted cellular differentiation in all three cases, as evidenced by persisting cytogenetic changes, Auer-rod containing maturing cells and cytochemical studies. Although IFN-.gamma. therapy resulted in partial or minor responses, these findings suggest the potential of IFN-.gamma. to act as an inducer of differentiation in myelodysplastic syndromes both in vitro and in vivo.