Levels of human serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor under pathological conditions

Levels of serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patients with various leukocyte disorders were estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Some cases of acute myelogenous leukemia and aplastic anemia showed elevated serum levels of G-CSF and/or GM-CSF, whereas almost all of 23 healthy controls showed G-CSF and GM-CSF levels lower than 100 pg/ml. High levels of both types of CSF were noted in patients with granulocytosis due to infection. These levels became lower after resolution of the infection. Daily changes in serum CSF levels were also examined in a patient with autoimmune neutropenia, and it was found that the peripheral neutrophilic granulocyte count changed almost in parallel with the serum G-CSF level but not with GM-CSF, following the pattern with a delay of about 4–5 h, suggesting the possibility that G-CSF mainly regulates peripheral neutrophil circulation.     

Suppression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is associated with an expansion of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) have the potential to activate or tolerize T cells in an Ag-specific manner. Although the precise mechanism that determines whether DCs exhibit tolerogenic or immunogenic functions has not been precisely elucidated, growing evidence suggests that DC function is largely dependent on differentiation status, which can be manipulated using various growth factors. In this study, we investigated the effects of mobilization of specific DC subsets-using GM-CSF and fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3-ligand (Flt3-L)-on the susceptibility to induction of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). We administered GM-CSF or Flt3-L to C57BL/6 mice before immunization with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and observed the effect on the frequency and severity of EAMG development. Compared with AChR-immunized controls, mice treated with Flt3-L before immunization developed EAMG at an accelerated pace initially, but disease frequency and severity was comparable at the end of the observation period. In contrast, GM-CSF administered before immunization exerted a sustained suppressive effect against the induction of EAMG. This suppression was associated with lowered serum autoantibody levels, reduced T cell proliferative responses to AChR, and an expansion in the population of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. These results highlight the potential of manipulating DCs to expand regulatory T cells for the control of autoimmune diseases such as MG.     

Functional characterization of T lymphocytes derived from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and chemotherapy-induced leukopenia

T-cell–targeting immunotherapy is now considered in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Immunotherapy seems most effective for patients with a low AML cell burden, and a possible strategy is therefore to administer immunotherapy early after intensive chemotherapy when patients have a low leukemia cell burden and severe treatment-induced cytopenia. To further investigate this possible therapeutic approach we used a whole blood assay to characterize the proliferative responsiveness (³H-thymidine incorporation) of circulating T cells from AML patients with severe treatment-induced leukopenia, i.e., peripheral blood leukocyte counts <0.5×10⁹/l. This assay will reflect both quantitative and qualitative differences. Responses were compared for 17 AML patients, 6 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and a group of 21 healthy controls. Most circulating leukocytes in the AML patients were T lymphocytes, whereas B lymphocytes and monocytes usually constituted <10%. Anti-CD3-stimulated proliferation was significantly lower for AML patients compared with healthy controls. However, proliferation in response to anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 did not differ for AML patients and healthy controls, an observation suggesting that T cells from AML patients have an increased responsiveness in the presence of optimal costimulation that compensates for the quantitative T-cell defect. In contrast, the responses were significantly lower for ALL than for AML patients. We conclude that the remaining T-cell population in AML patients with severe chemotherapy-induced cytopenia show an increased proliferative responsiveness and may represent a therapeutic target when antileukemic immunotherapy is tried in combination with intensive chemotherapy.     

T cells remaining after intensive chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia show a broad cytokine release profile including high levels of interferon-γ that can be further increased by a novel protein kinase C agonist PEP005

Cytokines are released during T cell activation, including the potentially anti-leukemic interferon-γ (IFNγ), but also the hematopoietic growth factor granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that enhance proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells. In the present study we investigated the release of IFNγ and GM-CSF by circulating T cells in AML patients with chemotherapy-induced cytopenia. T cells were activated with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 in a whole-blood assay in the presence of their natural cytokine network. We examined 63 samples derived from 16 AML patients during 28 chemotherapy cycles. Activated T cells showed a broad cytokine release profile, but IFNγ and GM-CSF levels showed a significant correlation and were generally higher than the other cytokine levels. Higher IFNγ and GM-CSF responses were associated with a low CD4:CD8 ratio, older patient age and no ongoing chemotherapy indicating potential utility of T cell activation regimes for the older AML patient. The cytokine levels could be further increased by the novel protein kinase C agonist PEP005, which also induced significant production of IL2 and TNFα which could contribute to anti-tumor effects in AML patients. We conclude that remaining T cells after intensive AML therapy show a broad cytokine release profile including high and significantly correlated levels of potentially anti-leukemic IFNγ and the AML growth factor GM-CSF. The final outcome of an AML-initiated T cell cytokine response will thus depend on the functional characteristics of the AML cells, in particular the relative expression of IFNγ and GM-CSF receptors which differs between AML patients.     

Soluble Fas/Apo-1 (CD95) levels during T cell activation in the presence of acute myelogenous leukemia accessory cells; contributions from local release and variations in systemic levels

Fas (CD95/Apo-1) exists both in membrane-bound and in biologically active soluble (s) forms. Ligation of membrane-expressed Fas can induce apoptosis, and Fas-mediated signaling seems to be involved in T-cell-induced apoptosis of human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) blasts. The local release of sFas by AML blasts may then function as a protective mechanism by competing with membrane-bound Fas for binding sites on the common Fas ligand (FasL). sFas was released by AML blasts during in vitro culture, and this release was modulated by several cytokines that can be secreted by activated T cells. Increased levels of sFas could be detected during in vitro activation of T cells in the presence of native AML accessory cells, and this was observed both for (i) mitogenic activation of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell clones derived from acute leukemia patients with therapy-induced leukopenia and (ii) allostimulated activation of T cells derived from normal donors. However, local in vivo levels of sFas will also be influenced by variations in systemic levels. High serum levels of sFas were detected in acute leukemia patients during chemotherapy-induced cytopenia, but these levels decreased during complicating bacterial infections. In contrast, serum levels of sFasL were normal in leukopenic patients. The present results support the hypothesis that local release of sFas can function as a protective mechanism against AML-reactive T cells, but the effects of this local release are, in addition, modulated by variations in systemic levels of sFas (but not sFasL). Received: 9 March 2000 / Accepted: 25 May 2000     

FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L)/CD135 axis in rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

The FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L)/CD135 axis plays a fundamental role in proliferation and differentiation of dendritic cells (DCs). As DCs play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) immunopathology we studied in detail the Flt3L/CD135 axis in RA patients.

Methods

The levels of Flt3L in (paired) serum and synovial fluid (SF) were quantified by enzyme-link immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression of Flt3L and CD135 in paired peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) was quantified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The expression of Flt3L, CD135 and TNF-Converting Enzyme (TACE) in synovial tissues (STs) and in vitro polarized macrophages and monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs) was assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). CD135 ST expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and TACE ST expression was assessed by immunofluorescence. Flt3L serum levels were assessed in RA patients treated with oral prednisolone or adalimumab.

Results

Flt3L levels in RA serum, SF and ST were significantly elevated compared to gout patients and healthy individuals (HI). RA SF monocytes, natural killer cells and DCs expressed high levels of Flt3L and CD135 compared to HI. RA ST CD68⁺ and CD163⁺ macrophages, CD55⁺ fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), CD31⁺ endothelial cells or infiltrating monocytes and CD19⁺ B cells co-expressed TACE. IFN-γ-differentiated macrophages expressed higher levels of Flt3L compared to other polarized macrophages. Importantly, Flt3L serum levels were reduced by effective therapy.

Conclusions

The Flt3L/CD135 axis is active in RA patients and is responsive to both prednisolone and adalimumab treatment. Conceivably, this ligand receptor pair represents a novel therapeutic target.     

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment of lupus autoimmune disease in MRL-lpr/lpr mice.

G-CSF not only functions as an endogenous hemopoietic growth factor for neutrophils, but also displays pro-Th2 and antiinflammatory properties that could be of therapeutic benefit in autoimmune settings. We evaluated the effect of treatment with G-CSF in a murine model of spontaneous systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease in which G-CSF is already administered to patients to alleviate neutropenia, a common complication. Chronic treatment of lupus-prone MRL-lpr/lpr mice with low doses (10 microg/kg) of recombinant human G-CSF, despite the induction of a shift toward the Th2 phenotype of the autoimmune response, increased glomerular deposition of Igs and accelerated lupus disease. Conversely, high-dose (200 microg/kg) treatment with G-CSF induced substantial protection, prolonging survival by >2 mo. In the animals treated with these high doses of G-CSF, neither the Th1/Th2 profile nor the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-10 were modified. Despite the presence of immune complexes in their kidney glomeruli, no inflammation ensued, and serum IL-12 and soluble TNF receptors remained at pre-disease levels. This uncoupling of immune complex deposition and kidney damage resulted from a local down-modulation of FcgammaRIII (CD16) expression within the glomeruli by G-CSF. Our results demonstrate a beneficial effect of high doses of G-CSF in the prevention of lupus nephritis that may hold promise for future clinical applications, provided caution is taken in dose adjustment.     

Selective induction of dendritic cells using granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor,but not fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3-ligand,activates thyroglobulin-specific CD4+/CD25+ T cells and suppresses experimental autoimmune thyroiditis

Fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3-ligand (Flt3-L) and GM-CSF cause expansion of different subsets of dendritic cells and skew the immune response toward predominantly Th1 and Th2 type, respectively. In the present study, we investigated their effects on experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in CBA/J mice. Relative to mouse thyroglobulin (mTg) immunized controls, mTg-immunized mice treated with Flt3-L showed more severe thyroiditis characterized by enhanced lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid, and IFN-gamma and IL-2 production. In contrast, mice treated with GM-CSF, either before or after immunization with mTg, showed suppressed T cell response to mTg and failed to develop thyroiditis. Lymphocytes from these mice, upon activation with mTg in vitro, produced higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10. Additionally, GM-CSF-treated mice showed an increase in the frequency of CD4(+)/CD25(+) T cells, which suppressed the mTg-specific T cell response. Neutralization of IL-10, but not IL-4, or depletion of CD4(+)/CD25(+) cells resulted in increased mTg-specific in vitro T cell proliferation suggesting that IL-10 produced by the Ag-specific CD4(+)/CD25(+) regulatory T cells might be critical for disease suppression. These results indicate that skewing immune response toward Th2, through selective activation of dendritic cells using GM-CSF, may have therapeutic potential in Th1 dominant autoimmune diseases including Hashimoto's thyroiditis.     

T lymphocyte chemotactic chemokines in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): local release by native human AML blasts and systemic levels of CXCL10 (IP-10), CCL5 (RANTES) and CCL17 (TARC)

T cell targeting immunotherapy is now considered in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and local recruitment of antileukemic T cells to the AML microcompartment will then be essential. This process is probably influenced by both intravascular as well as extravascular levels of T cell chemotactic chemokines. We observed that native human AML cells usually showed constitutive secretion of the chemotactic chemokines CXCL10 and CCL5, whereas CCL17 was only released for a subset of patients and at relatively low levels. Coculture of AML cells with nonleukemic stromal cells (i.e., fibroblasts, osteoblasts) increased CXCL10 and CCL17 levels whereas CCL5 levels were not altered. However, a wide variation between patients in both CXCL10 and CCL5 levels persisted even in the presence of the stromal cells. Neutralization of CXCL10 and CCL5 inhibited T cell migration in the presence of native human AML cells. Furthermore, serum CCL17 and CXCL10 levels varied between AML patients and were determined by disease status (both chemokines) as well as patient age, chemotherapy and complicating infections (only CCL17). Thus, extravascular as well as intravascular levels of T cell chemotactic chemokines show a considerable variation between patients that may be important for T cell recruitment and the effects of antileukemic T cell reactivity in local AML compartments.     

Effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor on cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin and melatonin in cancer patients (short communication).

Several interleukins and interferons have been proven to induce endocrine effects. On the contrary, only few data are available about the possible hormonal activity of hemopoietic growth factors. This study was carried out to evaluate the endocrine influence of GM-CSF in humans. The study included nine head and neck cancer patients, evaluated in basal conditions and after an acute subcutaneous injection of GM-CSF at a dose of 3 mcg/kg b.w., by determining serum levels of cortisol, growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and melatonin. Both cortisol and GH significantly increased in response to GM-CSF, while PRL, and melatonin were not influenced. This preliminary study shows that hemopoietic growth factors, as well as interleukins, may also play endocrine effects in humans.     

Synergistic interactions between recombinant human interleukin-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF in normal human marrow granulocyte-macrophage colony formation.

The network of interactions between human myelopoietic growth factors can lead to signal amplification that all regulate normal myelopoiesis. The present study identified synergistic interactions between recombinant human interleukin-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF on normal human marrow day 14 CFU-GM suggesting that the interactions between these human myelopoietic growth factors are mainly confined to the early stages of normal human myelopoiesis. The synergistic combinations of recombinant human interleukin-3 plus G-CSF and GM-CSF plus G-CSF warrant clinical trial for the recovery from cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy-induced myelosuppression and for augmenting human defence against infections.     

Clinicopathological study of involvement of granulocyte colony stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in non-lymphohematopoietic malignant tumors accompanied by leukocytosis

Involvement of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in non-lymphohematopoietic malignant tumors accompanied by leukocytosis was clinicopathologically investigated. Among 1,778 autopsy cases in the last 20 years, 485 lesions of 439 cases with non-lymphohematopoietic malignant tumors accompanied by leukocytosis with a white blood cell count of 10,000/mm3 or greater during the course were immunohistologically examined for G-CSF and GM-CSF. Three (0.7%) and two cases (0.5%) were G-CSF- and GM-CSF-positive, respectively. GM-CSF mRNA was confirmed by using non-fixed cryopreserved tumor tissues in one case positive for GM-CSF. G-CSF-positive cases were large cell carcinoma of the lung, adenocarcinoma of the colon, and adenocarcinoma of the stomach, and GM-CSF-positive cases were spindle cell carcinoma of the lung and malignant thymoma. In the case with stomach carcinoma, the primary lesion showing moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was negative, but the lung metastatic lesion showing less differentiated adenocarcinoma was G-CSF-positive. The survival period was six months or less in four out of five positive cases. The highest white blood cell count in five CSF-positive cases was markedly elevated: 29,400-103,500/mm3 (mean: 59,700/mm3). In four cases, excluding one case which may have been markedly affected by chemotherapy, the bone marrow showed hyperplasia, and the number of the granulocyte series cells significantly increased. There were three cases (0.7%) negative for both G-CSF and GM-CSF, although they showed marked leukocytosis (60,000/mm3 or higher) which were higher than the mean count of CSF-positive cases and was not observed in autopsy cases with non-tumorous diseases. Other stimulating factors may be involved in the development of leukocytosis in such cases.     

Flt3-ligand and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilize distinct human dendritic cell subsets in vivo

Dendritic cells (DCs) have a unique ability to stimulate naive T cells. Recent evidence suggests that distinct DC subsets direct different classes of immune responses in vitro and in vivo. In humans, the monocyte-derived CD11c+ DCs induce T cells to produce Th1 cytokines in vitro, whereas the CD11c- plasmacytoid T cell-derived DCs elicit the production of Th2 cytokines. In this paper we report that administration of either Flt3-ligand (FL) or G-CSF to healthy human volunteers dramatically increases distinct DC subsets, or DC precursors, in the blood. FL increases both the CD11c+ DC subset (48-fold) and the CD11c- IL-3R+ DC precursors (13-fold). In contrast, G-CSF only increases the CD11c- precursors (>7-fold). Freshly sorted CD11c+ but not CD11c- cells stimulate CD4+ T cells in an allogeneic MLR, whereas only the CD11c- cells can be induced to secrete high levels of IFN-alpha, in response to influenza virus. CD11c+ and CD11c- cells can mature in vitro with GM-CSF + TNF-alpha or with IL-3 + CD40 ligand, respectively. These two subsets up-regulate MHC class II costimulatory molecules as well as the DC maturation marker DC-lysosome-associated membrane protein, and they stimulate naive, allogeneic CD4+ T cells efficiently. These two DC subsets elicit distinct cytokine profiles in CD4+ T cells, with the CD11c- subset inducing higher levels of the Th2 cytokine IL-10. The differential mobilization of distinct DC subsets or DC precursors by in vivo administration of FL and G-CSF offers a novel strategy to manipulate immune responses in humans.     

Immunological characterization and antibacterial function of persisting granulocytes in leukemic patients receiving pulse cytosine arabinoside-consolidation chemotherapy on days 1, 3, and 5

High-dose cytosine arabinoside (HiDAC) and intermediate-dose cytosine arabinoside (IDAC) have been introduced as effective and safe consolidation chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia, with relatively low rates of life-threatening infections despite the high total dose of the cytostatic drug. To explore the biological background of low toxicity, we examined the numbers, immunophenotype, and functional properties of granulocytes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving HiDAC or IDAC. Interestingly, the absolute numbers of neutrophils remained >500/microl until day 10 in 92 of 125 (74%) HiDAC cycles and in 106 of 113 (94%) IDAC cycles. As assessed by electron microscopy, these day-10 granulocytes surviving chemotherapy were found to be mature cells containing secondary granules and phagolysosomes. They also expressed opsonization- and phagocytosis-linked surface Ags (C3biR, CR1, C1qR, C5aR, FcgammaRI, FcgammaRII, FcgammaRIII, and G-CSF and GM-CSF receptors) like neutrophils in healthy controls. Moreover, these day-10 neutrophils exhibited oxidative burst activity and took up and digested bacteria in the same way as neutrophils in healthy controls. There was a negative correlation between absolute neutrophil counts and severe infections in HiDAC- and IDAC-treated patients with a later onset of infections in IDAC patients (median: IDAC, day 18; HiDAC, day 16). Together, functionally mature neutrophils are detectable at least until day 10 in patients treated with HiDAC or IDAC, and may explain the relatively low hematologic toxicity of these consolidation protocols. IDAC is a superior protocol in this regard and may therefore be most suitable for elderly patients and those at high risk for severe infections.     

Synergistic and antagonistic effects of recombinant human interleukin (IL) 3, IL-1 alpha, granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF and M-CSF) on the growth of GM-CSF-dependent leukemic cell lines

Three human leukemia cell lines (TALL-101, AML-193, and MV4-11) that require granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for growth in a chemically defined medium were examined for their response to recombinant human (rh) cytokines. Either rh interleukin (IL)-3 or rhGM-CSF alone supported the long term growth of all three cell lines, and the two growth factors acted synergistically to stimulate the proliferation of the early T lymphoblastic leukemia (TALL-101) and of the monocytic leukemia (AML-193) cells. However, IL-3 antagonized the proliferation of the biphenotypic B-myelomonocytic leukemia (MV4-11) cells in the presence of GM-CSF when both factors were used at very low concentrations. The rh granulocyte (G)-CSF independently supported the long and short term growth of AML-193 and MV4-11, respectively, and synergized with GM-CSF in inducing proliferation of these cells. By contrast, G-CSF did not stimulate TALL-101 cell growth and antagonized the effect of GM-CSF such that proliferation was arrested. Although neither rh macrophage (M)-CSF nor rhIL-1 alpha independently promoted proliferation of the three leukemia cell lines, these cytokines were able to either up- or down-regulate the GM-CSF-dependent growth of these cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that leukemic cells often require the synergistic action of several cytokines for optimal growth, whereas other combinations of factors may be growth-inhibitory. This raises the possibility that multiple hemopoietic growth factors sustain or control leukemic cell proliferation also in vivo. In addition, the observation the G-CSF, M-CSF, and IL-1 alpha can, in some cases, arrest cell proliferation without inducing differentiation suggests that the programs of proliferative arrest and differentiation in leukemic cells can be dissociated.     

The induction of distinct cytokine cascades correlates with different effects of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor on the lymphocyte compartment in the course of high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer

The availability of the myeloid hemopoietic growth factors (HGF) granulocyte- and granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF and GM-CSF) has enhanced the therapeutic index of high-dose chemotherapeutic antitumoral regimens (HDCT), as well as the rate of severe damage to immune competence. We investigated some immune functions before, during and after one course of HDCT for poor-risk breast cancer and compared the effects of G-CSF and GM-CSF on the immune recovery. They exerted different influences on the functions we examined and showed distinctive patterns of both qualitative and quantitative in vivo activities on the immune system. The main findings were that (a) granulocyte and lymphocyte recovery rates were faster in the patients receiving G-CSF; (b) looking at the lymphocyte compartment, this difference was restricted to the CD3⁺/CD8⁺ and CD56⁺ lymphocyte subsets; (c) the reconstitution rate of CD19⁺ lymphocytes was slow in both groups; (d) at the end of follow-up HLA-DR expression by CD3⁺ lymphocytes was higher in the GM-CSF group; (e) the lymphocyte proliferative capacity was restored at a faster rate in the GM-CSF group, whereas cytotoxic activities recovered better in the G-CSF group; (f) the early repopulating phase was characterized by higher interleukin-6 serum levels in the GM-CSF group. Overall, GM-CSF seemed to exert an earlier effect on all T lymphocyte subsets, preventing them from a complete drop during the long-lasting “nadir” of the cell count, whereas G-CSF appeared to boost them strongly, though a few days later, hastening their final recovery. The distinct pattern of the cytokine cascade induced by each factor, consistent with the different functional changes, seemed to account for the peculiarities of their immune modulations. Received: 4 August 1998 / Accepted: 30 April 1999     

DNA-encoded fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 ligand and granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor increase dendritic cell recruitment to the inoculation site and enhance antigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses induced by DNA vaccination of outbred animals

DNA-based immunization is a contemporary strategy for developing vaccines to prevent infectious diseases in animals and humans. Translating the efficacy of DNA immunization demonstrated in murine models to the animal species that represent the actual populations to be protected remains a significant challenge. We tested two hypotheses directed at enhancing DNA vaccine efficacy in outbred animals. The first hypothesis, that DNA-encoding fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) and GM-CSF increases dendritic cell (DC) recruitment to the immunization site, was tested by intradermal inoculation of calves with plasmid DNA encoding Flt3L and GM-CSF followed by quantitation of CD1(+) DC. Peak DC recruitment was detected at 10-15 days postinoculation and was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in calves in the treatment group as compared with control calves inoculated identically, but without Flt3L and GM-CSF. The second hypothesis, that DNA encoding Flt3L and GM-CSF enhances immunity to a DNA vector-expressed Ag, was tested by analyzing the CD4(+) T lymphocyte response to Anaplasma marginale major surface protein 1a (MSP1a). Calves immunized with DNA-expressing MSP1a developed strong CD4(+) T cell responses against A. marginale, MSP1a, and specific MHC class II DR-restricted MSP1a epitopes. Administration of DNA-encoding Flt3L and GM-CSF before MSP1a DNA vaccination significantly increased the population of Ag-specific effector/memory cells in PBMC and significantly enhanced MSP1a-specific CD4(+) T cell proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion as compared with MHC class II DR-matched calves vaccinated identically but without Flt3L and GM-CSF. These results support use of these growth factors in DNA vaccination and specifically indicate their applicability for vaccine testing in outbred animals.