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Immunology

HLA class I antigen cell surface expression is preserved on acute myeloid leukemia blasts at diagnosis and at relapse

Leukemia volume 15, pages 128–133 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I molecules restrict the interaction between cytotoxic T cells and target cells. Abnormalities in HLA class I antigen expression and/or function may provide tumor cells with a mechanism for escaping immune surveillance and resisting T cell-based immunotherapies. The potential for applying T cell-based immunotherapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has stimulated interest in analyzing HLA class I antigen expression on leukemic blasts in this disease. Little information is available in the literature. We have analyzed HLA class I antigen expression on bone marrow samples from 25 newly diagnosed AML patients by indirect immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibodies. Five of these patients were also studied at relapse. Leukemic blasts were resolved from normal lymphocytes by staining with anti-CD45 antibody; CD45 expression is dim on leukemia cells, but bright on lymphocytes. HLA class I antigen expression was higher on leukemic blasts than on autologous lymphocytes in all but one case. Moreover, there was no significant change in HLA class I antigen expression at relapse. These results suggest that abnormalities in HLA class I antigens are infrequent in AML and should not represent a major obstacle to the application of T cell-based immunotherapies in this disease.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported partially by Public Health Service Grants CA 16056 and CA 67108 awarded by the National Cancer Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Leukemia Section, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA

    M Wetzler, MR Baer & L Ford

  2. Department of Pathology, Laboratory of Flow Cytometry, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA

    SJ Stewart & CC Stewart

  3. Department of Cancer Prevention, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA

    K Donohue

  4. Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA

    EA Repasky & S Ferrone

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  1. M Wetzler
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Wetzler, M., Baer, M., Stewart, S. et al. HLA class I antigen cell surface expression is preserved on acute myeloid leukemia blasts at diagnosis and at relapse. Leukemia 15, 128–133 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2401982

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