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Acute Leukemias

Cytotoxicity of CD56-positive lymphocytes against autologous B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Leukemia volume 29, pages 788–797 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Precursor B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) affects hematopoietic development and therefore is associated with immune deficiencies that can be further exacerbated by chemotherapy. It is unclear if and when monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that stimulate antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) can be used for treatment because this depends on the presence of functional effector cells. Here, we used flow cytometry to determine that patient samples at diagnosis, post-induction and relapse contain detectable numbers of CD56+ cells. We were able to selectively expand CD56+ immune effector cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood samples at diagnosis and at various stages of treatment by co-culture with artificial antigen-presenting K562 clone 9.mbIL-21 cells. Amplified CD56+CD3− cells had spontaneous and anti-B cell-activating factor receptor mAb-stimulated ADCC activity against allogeneic ALL cells, which could be further enhanced by IL-15. Importantly, matched CD56+ effector cells also killed autologous ALL cells grown out from leukemia samples of the same patient, through both spontaneous as well as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Since autologous cell therapy will not be complicated by graft-versus-host disease, our results show that expanded CD56+ cells could be applied for treatment of pre-B ALL without transplantation, or for purging of bone marrow in the setting of autologous bone marrow transplants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Patty Bacilio for initial involvement in expanding CD56+ cells from normal PBMC. This study was supported by grants from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the V-Foundation and PHS grants CA090321 and CA174020 (NH).

Disclaimer

DL is recipient of a Scholar Award from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Author information

Author notes

  1. M Lim

    Present address: 5Current address: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, 1400 53rd Street, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.,

  2. H Abdel-Azim and N Heisterkamp: Shared senior authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    F Fei, M Lim, J Groffen & N Heisterkamp

  2. Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    F Fei, M Lim, A A George, J Kirzner, R Seeger, J Groffen, H Abdel-Azim & N Heisterkamp

  3. Division of Pediatrics, Cell Therapy Section, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA

    D Lee

  4. Leukemia and Lymphoma Program, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, California, CA, USA

    J Groffen & N Heisterkamp

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  1. F Fei
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Correspondence to N Heisterkamp.

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Fei, F., Lim, M., George, A. et al. Cytotoxicity of CD56-positive lymphocytes against autologous B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Leukemia 29, 788–797 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2014.246

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