Kinetics of serum cytokines in adults undergoing peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation

We investigated the serum cytokine levels (G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-3 and IL-6) using an ELISA in 14 patients with haematological malignancies undergoing peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (PBPCT). Serum G-CSF levels in all patients rose immediately after PBPCT, then gradually decreased as the neutrophil counts began to rise. No detectable serum levels of GM-CSF or IL-1 beta were observed, but serum levels of IL-3 rose transiently immediately following PBPCT. Serum levels of IL-6 rose transiently during a fever in four patients. These observations suggest that G-CSF and IL-3 may contribute to the early haemopoietic reconstitution in PBPCT.