Genes highly expressed in the early phase of murine graft-versus-host reaction

Graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) is a complex process initiated upon allor ecognition. For detection of early molecular events in GVHR, we first asses sed time courses with respect to symptoms and serum interferon (IFN)-gamma levels and then used the differential display method to compare gene transc ript patterns during the early phase between acute lethal GVHR mice and syn geneic controls. In the GVHR mice, high expression levels of seven genes en coding the following molecules were detected: TGTP/Mg21 (an IFN-gamma -rela ted signaling molecule), vitronectin, Nedd5 (a mammalian septin), manganese superoxide dismutase, activin betaC subunit, PRCC (a papillary renal cell carcinoma-associated molecule), and an uncharacterized gene corresponding t o a mouse expressed sequence tag (EST). The expression levels of most genes peaked before the symptomatological onset and the peak of IFN-gamma levels . Thus, gene expression monitoring may characterize the inductive process o f GVHR and aid in the development of gene-based diagnostics and therapies. (C) 2001 Academic Press.