Constitutive in vivo cytokine and hematopoietic growth factor gene expression in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of healthy individuals

We investigated hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) and cytokine gene expression in the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of healthy individuals as a starting point for delineating the physiologic role of cytokines in steady state hematopoiesis. BM biopsy specimens and PB samples from 7 healthy individuals were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of reverse-transcribed RNA using gene-specific primer sets. Consistent gene expression in the BM of all 7 individuals was detected for macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF), stem cell factor, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-7, erythroid-potentiating factor, erythroid-differentiating factor, and insulinlike growth factor 1, all cytokines with reported direct stimulatory effects on in vitro hematopoiesis. Of these, erythroid-potentiating factor and erythroid-differentiating factor appeared to be the only stimulating factors that were also expressed in the PB. Among the cytokines with inhibitory effects on in vitro hematopoiesis IL-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF-beta, transforming growth factor-beta, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha were expressed in the BM of the 7 individuals. Except for TNF-alpha, the latter cytokines were also expressed in the PB. Consistent expression in the BM and PB of all tested individuals was also observed for IL-1 beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist, and IL-1 beta converting enzyme, which are all members of the IL-1 family with a possible indirect effect on hematopoiesis. Remarkably, no expression of granulocyte CSF, granulocyte-macrophage CSF, and IL-3 was found in the BM or PB of all investigated individuals (n = 15). This was also the case for IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-5, IL-9, IL-12, IL-13, leukemia-inhibiting factor, interferon-gamma, and inhibin. Weak IL-8 and IL-10 expression was found in the BM and/or PB of a minority of investigated individuals. These findings provide insight into which cytokines or HGFs potentially are involved in the autocrine or paracrine regulation of in vivo steady state hematopoiesis. The absence of expression of granulocyte CSF, granulocyte-macrophage CSF, and IL-3 in the BM of healthy individuals implicates that it is highly unlikely that these HGFs are involved in the autocrine or paracrine regulation of constitutive hematopoiesis.