混合骨髓移植后过继免疫治疗小鼠白血病

背景：急性白血病自体造血干细胞移植后复发率高,异基因造血干细胞移植后移植相关病死率高,混合造血干细胞移植及移植后过继免疫治疗有可能取长补短,提高疗效。 目的：观察自体骨髓混合H-2半相合异体骨髓移植后供体淋巴细胞输注+白细胞介素2治疗对小鼠白血病的疗效。 方法：将Balb/c小鼠经直线加速器照射3 Gy后分为白血病模型组、白血病模型照射组、混合移植组、自体骨髓移植组,均尾静脉注射5×10⁵ K562(GFP+/NeoR+)或K562(GFP-/NeoR-)细胞。7 d后6 Gy照射,自体骨髓移植组移植自体骨髓细胞或联合白细胞介素2治疗;混合移植组移植小鼠自体骨髓细胞混合1/10的H-2半相合异体骨髓细胞后应用白细胞介素2或联合供体淋巴细胞输注治疗。4周后行小鼠外周血及骨髓细胞形态检查,外周血细胞亚群、GFP及NeoR基因测定,肝、脾匀浆细胞GFP和NeoR基因测定。 结果与结论：白血病模型组小鼠因骨髓造血功能衰竭于20 d内全部死亡,白血病模型照射组小鼠因造血功能衰竭于14 d内全部死亡;自体骨髓移植组、混合移植组均有多少不等小鼠无白血病存活超过28 d,且混合骨髓移植后及自体骨髓移植后应用白细胞介素2治疗可提高白血病小鼠长期无病生存率,在此基础上联合供体淋巴细胞输注可更进一步提高白血病小鼠长期无病生存率。     

预处理不含抗胸腺细胞球蛋白非血缘脐血移植治疗急性髓系白血病和急性淋巴细胞白血病306例随访评价

背景:脐血造血干细胞移植作为急性白血病的根治手段,应用越来越广泛,但是其在不同白血病的治疗效果尚无对比,通过分疾病的疗效对比,可指导不同患者进行移植方式的选择。目的:对比分析脐血造血干细胞移植治疗急性髓系白血病和急性淋巴细胞白血病的疗效差异。方法:回顾性分析接受非血缘脐血造血干细胞移植治疗的306例急性白血病患者的临床资料,其中急性淋巴细胞白血病194例,急性髓系白血病112例。所有患者均接受不含抗胸腺细胞球蛋白的清髓性预处理方案,预防移植物抗宿主病为环孢素联合吗替麦考酚酯。结果与结论:①除了急性淋巴细胞白血病移植后的复发率比急性髓系白血病略高以外,两组患者在接受非血缘脐血移植术后的疗效基本一致;②在青少年和年轻成人组(年龄15-39岁),急性髓细胞白血病的中性粒细胞和血小板植入速率均快于急性淋巴白血病白血病,其中CD34+细胞数和预处理方案是针对中性粒细胞植入的独立影响因素,而CD34+细胞数同时也是针对血小板植入的独立影响因素,在该年龄组,急性淋巴细胞白血病患者移植后的复发率依然高于急性髓系白血病,其中慢性移植物抗宿主病是独立影响因素;③移植后免疫重建检测提示,脐血移植后4个月时急性髓系白血病患者的脐血CD8+T细胞重建要优于急性淋巴细胞白血病患者;④上述数据说明,预处理不含抗胸腺细胞球蛋白的非血缘脐血移植对于急性淋巴细胞白血病和急性髓系白血病均有良好的疗效。中国科学技术大学附属第一医院(安徽省立医院)血液科具有干细胞移植资质。     

清肿瘤性异基因造血干细胞移植

标准的清髓性异基因造血干细胞移植(allo-HSCT)对于需代替治疗的造血与免疫系统的非恶性疾病,应当是合理或足够的;然而,对于恶性血液病患者,清除患者骨髓造血组织,成功重建异体正常造血与免疫系统,并不一定能完全治愈恶性血液病,因为白血病(干)细胞并非只限骨髓中存在,它可浸润骨髓之外的其他任何组织。临床实践证实,allo-HSCT后仍然有30%左右的患者疾病复发,特别是具有高危因素或难治复发患者复发率可高达40%～70%以上。这些复发的白血病细胞几乎全系源自患者移植前本身的白血病细胞,其中半数患者以髓外部位复发开始,有证据提示,清髓性移植并没有完全杀灭患者体内的白血病细胞,特别是那些对化放疗不敏感或栖居在髓外"庇护所"中的白血病干细胞,最终导致疾病复发。因此笔者提出并建立了一个清肿瘤性异体造血干细胞移植(TAHSCT)的概念,在临床上对其进行了初步的探讨。其内容贯穿于移植技术全过程的各个环节,但主要为应用个体化清肿瘤性预处理方案和加强移植后免疫治疗。     

地西他滨联合造血干细胞移植治疗骨髓增生异常综合征转化急性白血病

背景：由骨髓增生异常综合征转化的急性白血病为难治白血病,临床疗效差,缓解率低,生存期短,因此探索新的有效治疗方法极为重要。 目的：观察地西他滨联合造血干细胞移植治疗骨髓增生异常综合征转化急性白血病的临床疗效及并发症。 方法：骨髓增生异常综合征转化的急性髓细胞白血病患者1例,先后予2个疗程地西他滨及异基因造血干细胞移植,观察临床疗效、地西他滨的毒副作用及移植相关并发症。 结果与结论：经2个疗程地西他滨治疗后,达到完全缓解,主要不良反应为骨髓抑制并发感染,该患者再接受异基因造血干细胞移植后获得无病生存213 d,移植过程中出现急性移植物抗宿主病及肺部感染。结果提示地西他滨联合造血干细胞移植治疗骨髓增生异常综合征转化急性白血病获得良好效果,毒副作用及相关并发症可控制,为临床上骨髓增生异常综合征转化急性白血病的治疗提供了新方法。     

自体外周血造血干细胞移植后序贯CIK细胞治疗急性髓系白血病

背景：细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞作为一种有效的过继免疫治疗方法,成为治疗急性髓系白血病的一种新的手段,目前关于急性髓系白血病自体移植后序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗的报道尚少,值得进一步研究。 目的：观察急性髓系白血病M2患者自体外周血造血干细胞移植后序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗的临床疗效和不良反应。 方法：入选45例低、中危急性髓系白血病M2患者,其中19例在自体外周血造血干细胞移植后序贯了细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗,另26例未序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗,比较两组患者的复发率、无病生存率、总生存率,观察细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗的安全性。 结果与结论：①序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗组的复发率低于未序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗组(21.05%,38.46%,P < 0.05);序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗组患者的2年无病生存率和2年总生存率均高于未序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗组,差异均有显著性意义(P < 0.05)。②19例接受细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗的患者均顺利完成治疗方案,治疗过程中除4例出现寒战、发热外,无其他不良反应。结果显示低、中危急性髓系白血病M2患者自体外周血造血干细胞移植后序贯细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞治疗可降低原发病的复发率,提高患者的无病生存率及总生存率,且无明显不良反应,是一种安全、有效、可行的治疗方法。中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞;骨髓干细胞;造血干细胞;脂肪干细胞;肿瘤干细胞;胚胎干细胞;脐带脐血干细胞;干细胞诱导;干细胞分化;组织工程全文链接：     

自体造血干细胞移植治疗恶性淋巴瘤后大剂量白细胞介素2过继免疫对长期生存的影响

背景：过继免疫治疗是目前肿瘤免疫治疗的热点,白细胞介素2是一种具有多种生物学活性的细胞因子,在机体的抗肿瘤免疫中起到重要作用。 目的：评价比较淋巴瘤自体造血干细胞移植治疗后应用与不应用大剂量白介素2行免疫治疗的临床疗效。 方法：回顾分析30例恶性淋巴瘤患者(治疗组)自体造血干细胞移植后行大剂量白细胞介素2 治疗,与随机挑选30例患者(对照组)自体造血干细胞移植后未行白细胞介素2治疗进行对比,检测两组患者外周血T淋巴细胞亚群,观察两组免疫功能的变化,并对所有患者进行随访观察。 结果与结论：自体造血干细胞移植后白细胞介素2治疗组外周血T淋巴细胞亚群CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD8⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺水平明显提升。随访结束时统计复发率：治疗组13.3%,对照组26.7%;中位生存期：治疗组14~98 (42±2)个月,对照组8~78 (28±2)个月。提示恶性淋巴瘤自体造血干细胞移植后行大剂量白细胞介素2治疗能提高患者的免疫功能,减少移植后复发率,并有望延长生存期。     

人类白细胞抗原配型不合造血干细胞移植治疗骨髓增生异常综合征15例

背景:骨髓增生异常综合征是一组异质性的髓系肿瘤,易向白血病转化。异基因造血干细胞移植为治愈该病提供了可能性。目的:通过观察人类白细胞抗原配型不合造血干细胞移植治疗骨髓增生异常综合征患者的反应,评价该方法的疗效和安全性。方法:15例骨髓增生异常综合征患者均接受人类白细胞抗原配型不合造血干细胞移植,预处理方案包括阿糖胞苷、白消安、氟达拉滨及甲基环己亚硝脲。移植后给予抗胸腺细胞球蛋白、环孢素A、吗替麦考酚酯、甲氨蝶呤等预防移植物抗宿主病。结果与结论:15例患者中有14例移植后造血完全重建,中性粒细胞≥0.5×109L-1的中位时间为移植后16d,血小板≥20×109L-1的中位时间为移植后20d;1例患者植入失败,后接受二次移植,于移植后+14d获造血重建。随访14(1～36)个月,1例死于肺部感染;1例于移植后12个月复发,经供者淋巴细胞输注及化疗获完全缓解;累积存活率为93.3%。8例患者在移植后出现急性移植物抗宿主病,发生率为57.1%;2例经免疫抑制剂治疗后病情得以控制,6例发生慢性移植物抗宿主病。结果表明,造血干细胞移植是治疗骨髓增生异常综合征的有效方法,可使多数患者得以长期生存。     

重组人IL-2联合α-干扰素激活自体骨髓移植治疗首次缓解期急性白血病24例临床研究

目的研究重组人白细胞介素2(IL-2)联合α-干扰素激活骨髓自体移植治疗首次缓解期急性白血病的疗效及造血重建能力.方法24例首次缓解期急性白血病患者,其中男9例,女15例,中位年龄26岁(9～40岁);急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)13例,急性非淋巴细胞白血病(ANLL)9例,急性杂合性白血病(AHL)2例.预处理方案包括单次全身照射(sTBI)10 Gy+环磷酰胺(Cy)60 mg/kg×2次12例,sTBI 7 Gy+Cy 60 mg/kg×2次+阿糖胞苷(Ara-C)2 g/(m2·d)×2次5例,sTBI 9 Gy+Cy 60 mg/kg×2次+鬼臼乙叉苷(VP-16)200 mg/d×2次或鬼臼毒素(VM-26)200 mg/d×2次4例,MAC方案(马法兰 Mel 60 mg/m2+Ara-C 1 g/m2Q 12 h×6次+Cy 60 mg/kg×2次)3例.进行IL-2联合α-干扰素激活自体骨髓并移植,移植后观察患者造血重建、长期无病生存率、移植相关死亡率、复发率及严重的移植相关并发症.结果移植后除2例患者因严重感染早期死亡外,所有22例患者获得造血重建.移植相关死亡3例,6例复发,15例患者持续完全缓解90个月(79～102个月),5年无病生存率及复发率分别为62.5%±9.9%及27.3%±9.5%.结论IL-2联合α-干扰素激活自体骨髓移植是治疗首次缓解期急性白血病的一种有效手段.     

非清髓性异基因造血干细胞移植治疗高龄白血病

背景：非清髓异基因造血干细胞移植减轻了预处理强度,减少了移植相关的死亡。 目的：分析非清髓性异基因造血干细胞移植治疗老年急性白血病的疗效及其安全性。 方法：71岁急性单核细胞白血病M5b 患者1例,行非清髓性异基因造血干细胞移植。供者为患者同胞弟弟,60岁,HLA 5个位点相合,ABO血型相同。预处理用药包括采用氟达拉滨、塞替派、环磷酰胺和马利兰针剂。移植物抗宿主病预防用抗胸腺球蛋白、巴利昔单抗、环孢素A、麦考酚酯肠溶片及丙种球蛋白,移植后并发症防治和支持治疗：更昔洛韦防治巨细胞病毒感染、前列腺素E1、丹参、肝素及熊去氧胆酸防治肝静脉闭塞症,预处理后外周血中性粒细胞低于0.5×109 L-1时开始予粒细胞集落刺激因子5 μg/(k g•d)促进造血重建。必要时输注辐照的浓缩红细胞和血小板,供者采用粒细胞集落刺激因子,连用 7 d,第6,7天采集外周血造血干细胞,当天输注给患者。 结果与结论：移植后28 d完成造血重建。移植后50 d,行STR检测结果显示供受者100%一致。移植后+20~30 d陆续出现“出血性膀胱炎”、“败血症(洋葱伯克霍尔德菌胞菌)”,移植后2个月出现黄疸、肝功能损害,诊断“急性移植物抗宿主病Ⅲ度(肝脏,3级) ”,经过抗感染、保肝、调整免疫抑制药物治疗后病情缓解。结果表明采用以氟达拉滨为基础的非清髓性外周血造血干细胞移植治疗有多种合并症老年急性白血病是一种有效安全的方法。     

Pqlc2基因缺失对小鼠稳态、衰老、饥饿、急性髓系白血病条件下造血系统的影响

目的：探讨在稳态、衰老、饥饿及急性髓系白血病条件下Pqlc2(PQ loop repeat containing 2)基因缺失对小鼠造血系统的影响。方法：（1）应用流式细胞术检测稳态下Pqlc2基因缺失小鼠骨髓造血干/祖细胞的比例;利用造血干细胞体内移植模型检测Pqlc2基因缺失对造血干细胞重建造血能力的影响;（2）分析衰老下Pqlc2基因缺失小鼠外周血中各类血细胞的数目,脾脏中B细胞、T细胞及髓系细胞比例,胸腺中四类T细胞比例,以及骨髓中造血干/祖细胞的比例;（3）建立能量限制压力模型,检测在连续3 d的饥饿处理下,Pqlc2基因缺失对小鼠造血干/祖细胞的影响;（4）构建野生型和Pqlc2基因缺失的急性髓系白血病（MLL-AF9 AML）小鼠模型,检测Pqlc2基因缺失对白血病小鼠生存率及造血系统的影响。结果：（1）与野生型小鼠相比,Pqlc2基因缺失导致稳态下小鼠造血干细胞比例显著升高（P<0.01）,造血祖细胞比例无显著差异（P>0.05）,造血干细胞重建造血能力显著下降（P<0.05）;(2)Pqlc2基因缺失对衰老小鼠的造血系统无显著影响（P>0.05...     

用Flu和Ara-c的改良方案预处理后自体造血干细胞移植治疗急性白血病临床观察

目的评价采用氟达拉滨（Flu）和阿糖胞苷（Ara-c）改良的预处理方案进行自体造血干细胞移植（AHSCT）治疗急性白血病的安全性和疗效。方法27例急性白血病患者,其中男性18例,女性9例;年龄12～51岁,中位年龄20岁。急性淋巴细胞白血病（ALL）21例;急性髓细胞性白血病（AML）5例。均采用包含Flu和Ara-c的预处理方案进行AHSCT,方案包括全身照射（TBI）7～8Gy或白消胺（Bu）3.2mg/（kg·d）×3d联合环磷酰胺（Cy）50mg/（kg·d）×2d、Flu30mg/（m^2·d）×3d、Ara-c2g/（m^2·d）×3d。结果除1例患者早期死亡外,所有患者均成功重建造血系统,中性粒细胞恢复至大于0.5×109/L、血小板恢复至20×109/L的中位时间分别为11（9～19）d和16（10～55）d。预处理过程中无严重不良事件发生,移植相关死亡率（TRM）7.4%（2例）。4年总体复发率（RR）、TRM和无病生存率（DFS）分别为38.8%±10.3%、9.3%±5.7%、60.8%±9.8%。结论在AHSCT治疗急性白血病中,以Flu、Ara-c改良的TBI/Cy或Bu/Cy预处理方案髓外毒性小,无病生存率较高,可作为急性白血病预处理的一种有效选择。     

Clearance of Hematologic Malignancies by Allogeneic Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell or Donor Lymphocyte Infusions

Well-established donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) and novel cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy for the treatment of relapsing hematologic malignancies after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were compared with respect to feasibility, safety, and efficacy. Altogether, a total of 221 infusions were given to 91 patients (DLI, n = 55; CIK, n = 36). T cell recovery was significantly improved after CIK cell therapy (P < .0001). Although patients with CIK cell treatment showed a significantly worse prognosis at the time of HSCT (risk score, 1.7 versus 2.1; P < .0001), DLI and CIK cell therapy induced complete remission (CR) in 29% and 53% patients, respectively, whereas relapse occurred in 71% and 47%. In both groups, all patients with overt hematologic relapse at the time of immunotherapy (DLI, n = 11; CIK, n = 8) succumbed to their disease, while 36% and 68% patients with DLI or CIK cell therapy applied due to molecular relapse or active disease at the time of transplantation achieved CR. The 6-month overall survival rate in the latter patients was 57% and 77%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 27.9 months (range, .9 to 149.2 months). The 6-month cumulative incidence of relapse was 55% and 22% in patients who received DLI and CIK cell therapy, respectively (P = .012). Acute graft-versus-host disease developed in 35% of the patients who received DLI and in 25% of those who received CIK. No transfusion-related deaths occurred. These data, while underscoring the therapeutic value of conventional DLI, suggest the improved safety and to a certain extent efficacy of CIK cell therapy for patients at high risk for post-transplantation relapse of various hematologic malignancies.     

细胞因子诱导的杀伤细胞联合白细胞介素2治疗恶性胸腔积液

目的 观察应用细胞因子诱导的杀伤（CIK）细胞联合白细胞介素2（IL-2）治疗恶性胸腔积液的疗效.方法 收集2009年7月至2013年7月于本院肿瘤科就诊的恶性胸腔积液患者50例,随机数字表法分为治疗组（n=24）和对照组（n=26）.胸腔积液引流净后,治疗组胸腔灌注CIK细胞联合IL-2,连续3d;对照组灌注IL-2联合顺铂,隔日1次,连续3次.治疗4周后评价疗效和不良反应.结果 治疗组有效率87.50％（21/24）,完全缓解率54.17％（13/24）;对照组有效率57.69％（15/26）,完全缓解率42.31％（11/26）.与对照组比较,治疗组的完全缓解率、有效率均增加（均P＜0.05）.不良反应比较显示,治疗组发热的发生率较高,而对照组胸痛、胃肠道反应、骨髓抑制的发生率较高（均P＜ 0.05）.与治疗前比较,治疗后两组患者的Karnofsky评分均增加（均P＜0.05）.结论 CIK细胞联合IL-2胸腔灌注治疗恶性胸腔积液不良反应小,疗效确切.     

Transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells mobilized by intensified consolidation and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in acute leukemia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of autologous transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) mobilized with high-dose consolidation chemotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Twenty patients received myeloablative chemotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy including total body irradiation followed by the infusion of PBSC. PBSC were collected by large-volume leukaphereses. The mean number of mononuclear cells and CD34-positive cells infused were 7.2 x 10(8)/kg (range, 2.2-16.6), and 6.6 x 106/kg (range, 2.1-27.7), respectively. Engraftment failure was not seen in the enrolled patients. The median time to neutrophil (> or = 500/microL) and platelet recovery (> or = 50,000/microL) from the transplant was 12 days (range, 8-20) and 28 days (range, 10-600), respectively. The 2-year probability of disease-free survival (DFS) and relapse were 43% and 57% for patients with AML transplanted in first complete remission (CR1). The outcome of the patients transplanted in the advanced status was significantly worse than the patients transplanted in CR1 (P=0.04). Most relapses occurred within 1 year after transplantation. Fatal hepatic veno-occlusive disease was observed in one case. Other transplantation-related toxicities were mild. Our results demonstrated that autologous transplantation of high-dose consolidation chemotherapy-mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells is feasible in the patients with AML in CR1. To further reduce the risk of leukemia relapse, much effort should be contributed to the field of ex vivo purging and post-transplant immunotherapy.     

Post-consolidation Immunotherapy with Histamine Dihydrochloride and Interleukin-2 in AML

The initial chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) comprises a first phase of induction and a second phase of consolidation. In the majority of patients, the induction treatment leads to complete remission (CR), defined as microscopic disappearance of leukaemic disease along with the return of normal haematopoiesis. However, despite the introduction of more efficacious consolidation regimens, a worryingly large proportion of AML patients in CR will subsequently experience relapses with poor prospects of long-term survival. A relapse is assumed to be the result of expansion of residual leukaemic cells that have escaped the initial chemotherapy. The anti-leukaemic functions of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells has formed the background to the use of interleukin-2 (IL-2), a T- and NK cell-activating cytokine, with the aim to eliminate residual leukaemia and hence reduce the relapse rate in AML, but the clinical trials using IL-2 monotherapy have yielded disappointment. A recent phase III study has demonstrated that post-consolidation treatment with the combination of histamine dihydrochloride (HDC) and IL-2 significantly prevents relapse in AML patients. Here we account for the preclinical background to the use of HDC/IL-2 in AML along with a review of clinical results.     

Multiple myeloma with monosomy 13 developed in trisomy 13 acute myelocytic leukemia: numerical chromosome abnormality during chromosomal segregation process

We report here an acute myelocytic leukemia (AML-M2) patient with trisomy 13 as the sole cytogenetic anomaly, who had relapse of AML with a normal karyotype and developed multiple myeloma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using the RB gene probe revealed the plasma cells of multiple myeloma (MM) to have monosomy 13 anomaly, whereas relapsed blast cells of AML carried disomy of chromosome 13. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing clonal evolution of trisomy 13 AML and monosomy 13 MM, which might be derived from the leukemic clone at relapse.     

Immunotherapy in acute myelogeneous leukemia (AML)--a tool for maintaining remission?

Twelve trials of adjuvant immunotherapy in patients suffering from AML have been analyzed and compared to results from experimental studies. The analysis presents evidence suggesting that the immune response to leukemia cells exists in a state of balance; this appears to be regulated by the dose of antigen and the state of the cells used to immunize the patients. The injection of high doses of live allogeneic leukemia cells produced a significantly prolonged duration of the first remission in in AML patients. Immunization with high doses of irradiated and dead cells induced some prolongation of the remission phase and survival time, although the percentage of survivors after 3 years was not increased in these groups as compared to non-immunized patients. Immunization by the same route using a 100-fold lower amount of leukemia cells afforded no protection against relapse of the disease during the maintenance phase. A few patients even developed the relapse earlier than did patients treated with chemotherapy alone. Our understanding of the immune responses to malignant cells has increased considerably during the past 2 decades due to various observations. The results obtained with active immunotherapy of the AML patients during the same period agree well with experience from laboratory studies. Thus the results confirm the potential of an immunological interaction between the leukemia cells and the patient. Consequently, it seems likely that the addition of immunotherapy to the treatment of patients with AML might be effective and the tool for maintaining the phase of remission by up-to-date immunological engineering.     

Regulatory T cell frequency in patients with melanoma with different disease stage and course, and modulating effects of high-dose interferon-α 2b treatment

Background

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are typically differentiated in vitro with interferon (IFN)-γ and αCD3 monoclonal antibodies (mAb), followed by the repeated provision of interleukin (IL)-2. It is presently unknown whether thymoglobulin (TG), a preparation of polyclonal rabbit γ immunoglobulins directed against human thymocytes, can improve the generation efficiency of CIK cells compared with αCD3 mAb in a clinical-grade culture protocol.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 10 healthy donors and 4 patients with solid cancer were primed with IFN-γ on day 0 and low (50 ng/ml), intermediate (250 ng/ml) and high (500 ng/ml) concentrations of either αCD3 mAb or TG on day 1, and were fed with IL-2 every 3 days for 21 days. Aliquots of cells were harvested weekly to monitor the expression of representative members of the killer-like immunoglobulin receptor (KIR), NK inhibitory receptor, NK activating receptor and NK triggering receptor families. We also quantified the frequency of bona fide regulatory T cells (Treg), a T-cell subset implicated in the down-regulation of anti-tumor immunity, and tested the in vitro cytotoxic activity of CIK cells against NK-sensitive, chronic myeloid leukaemia K562 cells.

Results

CIK cells expanded more vigorously in cultures supplemented with intermediate and high concentrations of TG compared with 50 ng/ml αCD3 mAb. TG-driven CIK cells expressed a constellation of NK activating/inhibitory receptors, such as CD158a and CD158b, NKp46, NKG2D and NKG2A/CD94, released high quantities of IL-12p40 and efficiently lysed K562 target cells. Of interest, the frequency of Treg cells was lower at any time-point compared with PBMC cultures nurtured with αCD3 mAb. Cancer patient-derived CIK cells were also expanded after priming with TG, but they expressed lower levels of the NKp46 triggering receptor and NKG2D activating receptor, thus manifesting a reduced ability to lyse K562 cells.

Conclusions

TG fosters the generation of functional CIK cells with no concomitant expansion of tumor-suppressive Treg cells. The culture conditions described herein should be applicable to cancer-bearing individuals, although the differentiation of fully functional CIK cells may be hindered in patients with advanced malignancies.     

Abnormal localization of immature precursors (ALIP) detection for early prediction of acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) relapse

Acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) is a relapsing and deadly disease. Thus, it is important to early predict leukemia relapse. Recent studies have demonstrated strong correlations of relapse with abnormal localization of immature precursors (ALIP). However, there is no related research on automated detection of ALIP so far. To this end, we have proposed an ALIP detection method to investigate the relevance with AML relapse. Kernelized fuzzy C-means clustering is applied first to separate the foreground (with cells) and background (without cells). Image repairing is then used to wipe out noises to mark region of interest. Then, image partition is introduced to separate the overlapping cells. After that, a set of features are extracted for the classification. Thereafter, support vector machine is applied to classify precursors. At last, filtering operations are applied to obtain the binary-precursor detection results. Thirty-seven patients with AML are examined. The results show that ALIP is efficiently detected in a high sensitivity and positive predictive value by our proposed method. The investigation also demonstrates the strong correlations of AML relapse with ALIP.