Graft-versus-host disease in cyclosporin A-treated rats after syngeneic and autologous bone marrow reconstitution.

Abstract

Lethally irradiated rats treated with cyclosporin A (CsA) for 20-40 d develop classic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) when reconstituted with syngeneic or autologous bone marrow, upon discontinuation of CsA, whereas normal rats do not. Syngeneic GVHD may be transferred to irradiated but not normal syngeneic recipients. Normal spleen cells fail to prevent the development or adoptive transfer of syngeneic GVHD.