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Frequency of leukemic initiating cells does not depend on the xenotransplantation model used

Leukemia volume 26, pages 858–860 (2012)Cite this article

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was the first disease in which leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) were identified using the NOD/SCID (NS) xenotransplantation model.1, 2 These cells were originally reported to be rare.2 Recent data in melanoma indicate that the frequency of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) increases dramatically when more permissive immunodeficient NS/ interleukin-2 receptor γ-chain null (NSG) mice are used,3 and contrary to the findings of Boiko et al.,4 TICs in melanoma might not be purified,5 thus questioning the existence of TICs in melanoma. A study of pancreatic, non-small cell lung, and head and neck carcinoma shows that despite a 10-fold increase in the frequency of TICs in NSG compared with NS, the frequency of TICs remains low.6 Recently, we demonstrated that LICs are also present in the CD34+CD38+ fraction,7 contrary to our initial findings.2 We therefore re-investigated the issue of the frequency of LICs, comparing the originally used NS and the new NSG model.

It is also clear that despite differences in absolute frequency of LICs between the two mouse models, the same heterogeneity in the LICs frequency exist between patients. Patients can be classified as having low (patients 1 to 6 in NS and 1 to 5 in NSG) or high frequency of LICs (7 to 11 NS or 6 to 11 in NSG).

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to patients who gave samples. We would like to acknowledge Dr Jude Fitzgibbon for critical reviewing of the article. Authors are grateful to the Animal Care Facility staff members for their valuable technical help. We thank Dr Finlay Mac Dougall for providing diagnostic information. DCT is supported by a Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Fellowship. This work was supported by Cancer Research UK (DB and JGG) and by European grant (contract No. 037632) to DB.

Author contributions

JV and DCT designed and performed research, analyzed and interpreted data; EG and FAA performed research, analyzed and interpreted data; TAL, HO and JC provided vital materials and data; JGG provided vital materials and critical review of the manuscript; and DB designed research, analyzed and interpreted data and wrote manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. J Vargaftig and D C Taussig: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London, UK

    J Vargaftig, D C Taussig, E Griessinger, F Anjos-Afonso & D Bonnet

  2. Centre of Haemato-Oncology, Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, Barts Cancer Institute, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    D C Taussig, T A Lister, J Cavenagh, H Oakervee & J Gribben

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  1. J Vargaftig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D Bonnet.

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Vargaftig, J., Taussig, D., Griessinger, E. et al. Frequency of leukemic initiating cells does not depend on the xenotransplantation model used. Leukemia 26, 858–860 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2011.250

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