The effects of IL-4 and RANKL on viability of giant cell granuloma patients' monocytes

Giant cell granuloma is a non-malignant lesion characterized by proliferation of granulation tissues with multinucleated giant cells. Given the contribution of IL-4 and RANKL to the disease pathogenesis, we investigated effects caused by synergism between these factors on the viability and apoptosis of monocytes from GCG patients. In this study, the isolated monocytes were treated with IL-4 and RANKL. MTT and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining were used to investigate the viability and apoptosis of monocytes, respectively. In monocytes isolated from both GCG patients and healthy controls, treatment with IL-4 and RANKL led to increased viability and decreased apoptosis, even though these changes were significantly more obvious in patient-derived monocytes. Our results demonstrated that treatment with IL-4 and RANKL yields enhanced viability and reduced apoptosis in monocytes isolated from GCG patients compared with that of healthy individuals. These findings might provide evidence for the potential role of IL-4 and RANKL in the pathogenesis of GCG.