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Feasibility of IL-15-activated cytokine-induced killer cell infusions after haploidentical stem cell transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 48, pages 1141–1143 (2013)Cite this article

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Haploidentical hematopoietic SCT is an established treatment for high-risk leukemia in patients lacking a HLA-identical donor, and is also being evaluated for refractory solid tumors. The therapeutic success of any SCT for malignant disease is limited by relapse. Impending relapse can be treated by DLI, but DLI is of limited value when initiated during overt relapse.1 Moreover, the high T-cell doses required for DLI pose a risk of severe GVHD, specifically in the haploidentical setting.

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells represent a heterogeneous population of polyclonal CD3+CD56+ T cells with phenotypic and functional properties of natural killer (NK) cells, which arise from CD3+CD56− CIK cell progenitors. CIK cells mediate both specific MHC-restricted recognition and non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity against target cells.2, 3, 4, 5, 6 The activating NK cell receptor, NKG2D, has a crucial role in binding and cytolytic activity of CIK cells against tumor cells expressing the corresponding ligands.2, 3 The best characterized ligands for NKG2D are relatively restricted to tumor cells. Because of their selective recognition and killing of target cells, CIK cells display negligible alloreactivity and cause minimal GVHD and, therefore, may represent an ideal treatment option for patients at risk of relapse of hematological or solid malignancies after haploidentical SCT.

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References

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Acknowledgements

We thank the LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy Frankfurt/Main and the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts (HMWK); Funding Reference no.: III L 4–518/17.004 (2010). LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy Frankfurt/Main and the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts (HMWK); Funding Ref. no.: III L 4–518/17.004 (2010) and the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (P65/09//A112/09) for the kind support of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Hematology, University Children’s Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Oncology and Hemostaseology, J.W. Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    E Rettinger, S Wehner, G Lucchini, A Willasch, A Jarisch, J Soerensen, R Esser, T Klingebiel & P Bader

  2. Department of Cellular Therapeutics/Cell Processing (GMP), German Red Cross Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen and Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, J.W. Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    H Bonig

  3. Department of Medicine/Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    H Bonig

  4. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany

    C Rossig

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  1. E Rettinger
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Correspondence to P Bader.

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Rettinger, E., Bonig, H., Wehner, S. et al. Feasibility of IL-15-activated cytokine-induced killer cell infusions after haploidentical stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 48, 1141–1143 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.19

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