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Dendritic cells become BCR–ABL negative in chronic myeloid leukaemia patients successfully treated with imatinib

Leukemia volume 18, pages 1025–1027 (2004)Cite this article

TO THE EDITOR

In chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), the fusion gene BCR–ABL is created by the characteristic t(9;22) translocation. The fusion gene product is the p210 BCR–ABL protein, which has enhanced tyrosine kinase activity in comparison with wild-type ABL. The amino-acid sequences around the BCR–ABL fusion junction are novel to the immune system. Several groups have shown that peptides derived from the junction may elicit both CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) and CD4+ proliferative T-cell responses in normal subjects and also elicit CTL responses in CML patients. It appears likely that BCR–ABL junctional peptides are endogenously presented in CML patients. CML cells may themselves present peptides derived from the BCR–ABL junction on the cell surface in association with HLA class I molecules.1 Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen-presenting cells that have evolved to monitor the environment, detect pathogens and trigger T-cell responses. Several studies have established that DC in CML are derived from the leukaemic clone. DC from all 19 patients examined for BCR–ABL fusion by Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) in three studies were at least 73% FISH positive.2,3,4 These patients had active disease at the time of study, mostly in first chronic phase. The DC used in each of these studies were derived from PB mononuclear cells, which in some cases were first selected for monocytes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot St, Liverpool, L7 8XP, UK

    L Wang, N M Butt & R E Clark

  2. Merseyside and Cheshire Cytogenetics Laboratory, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown St, Liverpool, L8 7SS, UK

    M G Atherton

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  1. L Wang
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  2. N M Butt
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  3. M G Atherton
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  4. R E Clark
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Wang, L., Butt, N., Atherton, M. et al. Dendritic cells become BCR–ABL negative in chronic myeloid leukaemia patients successfully treated with imatinib. Leukemia 18, 1025–1027 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403342

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