Synergistic suppression of the clonogenicity of U937 leukemic cells by combinations of recombinant human interleukin 4 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

The actions and interactions of purified recombinant human (rh) interleukin 4 (IL-4) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the clonogenicity of human leukemic cell line U937 were studied in vitro. Parameters analyzed were the suppression of stem cell generation using sequential clonal cultures, alterations of surface antigen expression, and morphological changes. IL-4 alone (10 U/ml) and G-CSF alone (1000 U/ml) only slightly reduced colony numbers (80% +/- 7% and 87% +/- 7% of control colonies, respectively). However, IL-4 interacted synergistically with G-CSF to further reduce the colony number (46% +/- 8% of control colonies) and suppress the self-renewal ability (clonogenicity) of U937 cells. This synergistic effect was not eliminated by cultures containing neutralizing concentrations of anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (anti-GM-CSF), anti-interleukin 6 (anti-IL-6), anti-interferon-alpha (anti-IFN-alpha), anti-IFN-gamma, anti-transforming growth factor-beta (anti-TGF-beta) serum, and anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) serum. The coexistence of IL-4 and G-CSF was required for at least 48 h to reveal the synergistic action as assessed by preincubation and delayed addition experiments. Combinations of IL-4 and G-CSF showed a significant increase in CD11b expression on U937 cells. This action was not observed with HL60, K562, ML-1, or KG-1 leukemic cell lines, and IL-4 did not show any synergistic suppression of clonogenicity of U937 leukemic cells in combination with other cytokines tested in this study. These results suggest that IL-4 in combination with G-CSF may have some capacity to synergistically suppress human leukemic cells of specific types with loss of clonogenicity.     

Purging leukemic cells from simulated human remission marrow with alkyl- lysophospholipid

Alkyl-lysophospholipids (ALP) are analogues of 2- lysophosphatidylcholine that have been reported to have selective antitumor activity. These compounds could potentially be useful in purging bone marrow of leukemic cells in autologous marrow transplantation in acute leukemia. To determine the efficacy of pharmacological purging by ALP, we have designed a human assay system to mimic the conditions expected in the clinical setting of autotransplantation using remission marrow. A simulated remission marrow (SRM) was prepared by mixing normal marrow cells and HL60 cells in a ratio of 1,000:1. The effect of cryopreservation on ALP-treated normal, HL60, and SRM cells was examined. In separate experiments, ALP significantly reduced the number of clonogenic HL60 cells with no effect on normal marrow progenitors. The effect of ALP was more apparent after cryopreservation. Incubation of HL60 cells with 50 micrograms/mL ALP for four hours followed by cryopreservation resulted approximately in a 3 log reduction of clonogenic HL60 cells. ALP also selectively purged the small number of leukemic cells from SRM. In SRM, the data suggested that ALP had indirect cytotoxic activity on leukemic cells by enhancing the cytotoxic activity of monocytes in addition to its direct effect. We found no evidence that clonogenic HL60 cells decreased because of induction of differentiation by ALP. These data indicated that treatment of marrow cells with ALP offers an efficient means to eliminate leukemic cells from the graft.     

Loss of suppression of normal bone marrow colony formation by leukemic cell lines after differentiation is induced by chemical agents

The human leukemic cell lines K562 and HL-60 were cocultured with normal bone marrow (BM) cells. Coculture with 10(4) K562 or HL-60 cells results in 50% inhibition of normal CFU-E and BFU-E colony formation. However, when the same number of K562 and HL-60 cells is first treated for two to five days with agents that induce their differentiation, a gradual loss in their capacity to inhibit CFU-E and BFU-E colony formation is observed. The inhibitory material in K562 cells is soluble and present in conditioned medium from cultures of these cells. The degree to which leukemic cell suppression of CFU-E and BFU-E growth is reversed is correlated with the time of exposure to the inducing agent. Suppression is no longer evident after five days of prior treatment with inducers. In fact, up to a 90% stimulation of CFU-E growth is observed in cocultures with K562 cells that have been pretreated with 30 to 70 mumol/L hemin for five days. K562 cells treated with concentrations of hemin as low as 30 mumol/L demonstrate increased hemoglobin synthesis and grow normally, but no longer have an inhibitory effect on CFU-E growth. Hence, reversal of normal BM growth inhibition must be caused by the more differentiated state of the K562 cells and not by a decrease in the number of these cells with treatment. Thus, induction of differentiation in cultured leukemic cells not only alters the malignant cell phenotype but also permits improved growth of accompanying normal marrow progenitor cells. Both are desired effects of chemotherapy.     

Differential activity of saporin 6 on normal and leukemic hemopoietic cells

The antiproliferative effect of saporin 6 (SO6), a ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) purified from the seeds of Saponaria officinalis has been tested on three leukemic cell lines (K562, U937, and HL60), human normal bone marrow, and peripheral blood hemopoietic progenitor cells from normal subjects. In leukemic cell lines, SO6 appeared much more effective against erythrocytic than against monocytic and promyelocytic leukemic cells, as shown by protein synthesis assays carried out after up to 72 h of culture. Among the normal hemopoietic progenitor cells, erythroid burst-forming units were the most affected, with results similar to those observed in the erythroid leukemic cell line, both in treated and in pretreated cultures, with strong damage after 24 h of exposure to SO6. On the other hand, granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) from bone marrow were significantly more affected than the myeloid leukemic cell lines after permanent treatment with the inhibitor, the damage being significantly lower after an exposure of 24 h. CFU-GM from peripheral blood and megakaryocyte CFU showed an intermediate sensitivity after 24 h of exposure to SO6, similar to that of the other normal precursors after permanent treatment with the drug.     

Bone marrow stromal cell blockade of human leukemic cell differentiation

Bone marrow (BM) stromal cell inhibition of leukemic cell differentiation was studied in cellular coculture experiments. In coculture, a significant percentage of cells from the human myeloid leukemic cell lines HL-60, PLB-985, and K562 adhere to fibroblastic KM- 102 BM stromal cells. A sensitive two-color immunofluorescence assay was developed to monitor stromal cellular effects upon leukemic cell differentiation. After chemical induction with 1 alpha,25- dihydroxyvitamin D3, strongly adherent HL-60 and PLB-985 cells were inhibited from differentiating into more mature monocytic cells, as measured by the monocytic surface marker CD14. In contrast, loosely adherent and nonadherent HL-60 and PLB-985 leukemic cells in the same cocultures, as well as both adherent and nonadherent K562 cells induced with phorbol ester, were not blocked in their capacity to differentiate. Scanning electron microscopy and intercellular dye transfer experiments correlated intimate stromal cell/leukemic cell interaction and intercellular communication with the blockade of leukemic cell differentiation. These studies indicate that there is significant variability among leukemic lines with respect to the nature of their adhesion to stromal cells. Moreover, the data implicate gap- junction formation as a potentially significant event in stromal cell- mediated leukemic cell regulation.     

Modulation of etoposide (VP-16) cytotoxicity by verapamil or cyclosporine in multidrug-resistant human leukemic cell lines and normal bone marrow

We studied the effects of two modulators of multidrug resistance (MDR), cyclosporine and verapamil, on the cytotoxicity of etoposide (VP-16) in normal human bone marrow; two human leukemia cell lines, K562 and CEM; their MDR variants, K562/DOX and CEM/VLB; and mixtures of normal marrow and leukemic cells. VP-16 was selectivity toxic to the parental leukemic cells, with IC-50 values of 2 microM for CEM cells, 1.5 microM for K562 cells, and 12 microM for normal marrow CFU-GM. This selectivity was lost in the MDR variant leukemia cells, with IC-50s of 20 microM in K562/DOX and 8 microMs in CEM/VLB. Cyclosporine, 6 microMs, and verapamil, 20 microM, alone were nontoxic to bone marrow CFU-GM, and did not significantly increase the toxicity of VP-16 to normal marrow cells or to the two drug-sensitive leukemic cell lines. However, cyclosporine specifically enhanced the cytotoxicity of VP-16 in the MDR leukemia cells, reducing the IC-50 to the same level as the parental sensitive cells. Verapamil was considerably less effective. In a mixing experiment that included K562/DOX cells and normal bone marrow, cyclosporine increased the toxicity of VP-16 to the resistant leukemic cells by nearly 20-fold. Because the cytotoxic effect of cyclosporine is additive for resistant tumor cells, its combination with VP-16 may be useful in the purging of contaminating tumor cells prior to autologous bone marrow transplantation.     

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and hematopoietic progenitors: effects of tumor necrosis factor on the growth of erythroid progenitors CFU-E and BFU-E and the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells

Macrophages can modulate the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. We have examined the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a product of activated macrophages, on human erythroid progenitors (CFU-E, BFU-E) and the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) significantly inhibited CFU-E and BFU-E growth at concentrations as low as 10(-11)-10(-12) M (0.2 U/ml), although erythroid colony and burst formation were not totally ablated. Preincubation of marrow samples with TNF for 15 min was sufficient to suppress erythroid colony and burst formation. Addition of TNF after the start of culture inhibited CFU-E- and BFU-E-derived colony formation if TNF was added within the first 48 h of culture. Additionally, TNF inhibited the growth of highly purified erythroid progenitors harvested from day 5 BFU-E. The colonies which formed in cultures treated with TNF were significantly smaller than those formed in control cultures. TNF (10(-8)-10(-10) M) also suppressed the growth of the hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells, with 40%-60% of the cells being sensitive to TNF. Preincubation of HL60 cells with TNF for 15 min significantly inhibited their growth. K562, HL60, and HEL cells expressed high-affinity receptors for TNF in low numbers (6000-10,000 receptors per cell). Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of TNF binding to HEL cells demonstrated that the majority of these cells expressed TNF receptors. These data suggest that: (1) TNF is a rapid irreversible and extremely potent inhibitor of CFU-E, BFU-E, and hematopoietic cell lines K562, HL60, and HEL cells; (2) TNF appears to be acting on a subpopulation of erythroid cells, predominantly CFU-E, BFU-E, and possibly proerythroblasts; (3) TNF appears not to require accessory cells such as lymphocytes or macrophages to inhibit erythroid progenitors; and (4) the presence of TNF receptors on hematopoietic cells is not sufficient to confer sensitivity to TNF since the majority (80%-95%) of HEL cells express TNF receptors while only 40%-60% are inhibited by TNF.     

Expression of interleukin 6 and its specific receptor by untreated and PMA-stimulated human erythroid and megakaryocytic cell lines

Different human hematopoietic cell lines were analyzed for the presence of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-6 receptor (IL-6-R). Both IL-6 mRNA and secreted active IL-6 protein were detectable in untreated cell lines with erythroid or megakaryoblastic features (K562, HEL, KU 812, MEG-01, and Dami), but they were not expressed constitutively in other leukemic cell lines (KG1, HL60, and U937). IL-6-R production, studied by the presence of its mRNA and specific binding sites for iodinated recombinant IL-6, was detected in most cell lines except K562, HEL, and Dami. Therefore, only KU 812 and MEG-01 coexpress both IL-6 and IL-6-R. After phorbol ester myristate acetate (PMA) treatment, all the cell lines studied expressed or overexpressed IL-6. In the erythroid K562 cell line, IL-6-R was not detectable before induction, but was promptly expressed after stimulation with PMA, suggesting that some of the new features of K562 cells induced by PMA may be mediated by IL-6. However, neutralizing antibodies against IL-6 did not block either the growth arrest or the loss of the erythroid phenotype induced by PMA. The presence of IL-6 and IL-6-R in erythroid and megakaryocytic leukemic cell lines suggests that their synthesis may occur during normal hematopoietic differentiation.     

Recombinant immune interferon inhibits leukemic cell growth by a monocyte-macrophage-mediated mechanism

We have investigated direct and monocyte-macrophage (Mono/M phi)-mediated indirect effects of recombinant immune interferon (IFN-gamma) on the growth of established leukemic cell lines (K562, KG1, ML1, HL60, U937, and THP1). The direct antiproliferative effects of IFN-gamma on these leukemic cells were mild or negligible, when estimated by 3H-thymidine incorporation. Indirect effects were assessed by the growth pattern of leukemic cells cocultured with Mono/M phi that were pretreated with INF-gamma. While the leukemic cell growth was slightly suppressed by untreated Mono/M phi, this suppression was significantly augmented by the treatment of Mono/M phi with IFN-gamma (10-10,000 U/ml). In addition, the indirect effects of IFN-gamma on leukemic cell growth were examined at different stages of maturation of Mono/M phi. The augmentation of cytotoxicity was detected only when mature Mono/M phi were treated with INF-gamma. This suggests that IFN-gamma acts on tissue macrophages and augments their cytotoxicity against leukemic cells.     

白细胞介素-6在人白血病细胞中的转录与自分泌

目的 探讨白细胞介素６（ＩＬ－６）基因在不同类型白血病细胞中的构成表达以及白血病细胞是否自泌ＩＬ－６,为更好地利用ＩＬ－６／ＩＬ－６Ｒ系统介导重组白细胞介素６－假单胞菌外毒素融合蛋白（ＩＬ－６－ＰＥ４０）靶向治疗白血病提供可靠依据。方法 采用反转录－聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）半定量技术、序列分析及ＥＬＩＳＡ方法检测白血病细胞系Ｕ９３７、ＨＬ６０、ＫＧ１、ＨｕＴ２８,ＣＥＭ及Ｒａｊｉ中ＩＬ－６ｍＲ     

Action of 1,25-(OH)2D3 in nude mice bearing transplantable human myelogenous leukemic cell lines

After cyclophosphamide priming, subcutaneously (s.c.) transplanted cells from established human leukemia cell lines U937, K562, or HL-60 consistently yielded single, nonmetastatic tumors. Tumorigenesis with KG-1 cells was inconstant. Within each cell line, cytologic, electron-microscopic, cytogenetic, isoenzyme, immunochemical, and enzyme cytochemical studies confirmed identity of cultured and tumor cells. Adenosine triphosphatase reactivity was limited to leukemic cells in vivo. Isoenzyme electrophoretic patterns, distinct for each cell line, provided a reliable criterion to establish clonality and to verify tumor cell origin. Antitumor activity of the active vitamin-D3 metabolite 1,25-(OH)2D3 was assessed in vivo against U937, K562, and HL-60 cells by cell transplantation and concurrent s.c. contralateral implantation of miniosmotic pumps containing the 1,25-(OH)2D3 in a propylene glycol vehicle. Tumors developed in all treated U937 mice, 50% with K562 and 25% bearing HL-60 transplants. All transplants proliferated in mice either with pumps containing only vehicle or no pumps. Coincidence of tumor and vehicle decreased survival time. No differences in cytoreactivities or morphology were apparent between cultured cells and tumor cells in treated or untreated mice. This nude mouse system is useful for in vivo studies of human myelogenous leukemia cells. Implanted miniosmotic pumps provide controlled delivery of antineoplastic agents and their vehicles for in vivo studies. 1,25-(OH)2D3 may be a valuable adjunctive therapeutic for control of human myelogenous leukemias.     

Fas/FasL途径在柔红霉素诱导HL-60及U937细胞凋亡中作用的研究

目的；研究柔红霉素（DNR）诱导白血病细胞凋亡的机制，进一步探讨Fas/FasL 途径在DNR诱导白血病细胞凋亡中的作用。并评价sFAsL与DNR联用的致凋亡效应。方法：将DNR作用于白血病细胞系HL－60，K562，U937细胞，并用流式细胞术（FCM）检测其Fas抗原表达的改变。sFasL,DNR诱导白血病细胞凋亡，以抗Fas单抗（IgG1)阻断Fas/FasL 途径，借助原位末端标记法（TUNEL）和FCM检测白血病细胞凋亡率。结果：DNR处理HL－60，K562，U937细胞18h后，Fas表达阳性率无明显变化（P＞0．05），与sFasL联合作用后显示出协同效应，。IgG1不能阻断DNA致白血病细胞凋亡的作用，但可阻断sFasL致白血病细胞凋亡的作用。结果：DNR致白血病细胞株U937，HL－60凋亡的作用不依赖于Fas/FasL 途径，但sFasL与DNR联合应用可协同增强抗肿瘤效应。     

Human stem cell colony-stimulating activity (CFU-GEMMCSA) in medium conditioned by leukemic B-lymphocytes

Media conditioned by B-lymphocytes of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) induced the formation of multilineage colonies (CFU-GEMM) in cultures of human target marrow cells. Maximum levels of stem cell colony-stimulating activity (CFU-GEMMCSA) were detected by day 3 of leukemic B-cell cultures, remaining constant thereafter. Stimulation of leukemic B-lymphocytes with B-cell mitogens such as Cowan strain Staphylococcus aureus (SAC) and anti-mu enhanced the production of CFU-GEMMCSA by these cells. 3H-thymidine uptake in response to these mitogens was detected only in SAC-stimulated cultures, thereby demonstrating that mitogen-induced enhancement of CFU-GEMMCSA production by leukemic B-lymphocytes is independent of DNA synthesis. Conditioned media of leukemic B-lymphocytes stimulated the formation of human marrow granulocyte-macrophage (GM-CFU) and early erythroid (BFU-E) colonies as well. These observations indicate a role for B-lymphocytes in the regulation of hemopoietic stem cell and progenitor cell growth in vitro.     

Effect of alkyl-lysophospholipids on phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in leukemic cell lines

Alkyl-lysophospholipids are ether analogues of lysophospholipids that have tumoricidal activity mediated through activation of macrophages or by direct effect on tumor cells by disturbance of phospholipid metabolism. The effect of racemic 1-octadecyl-2-methyl-sn-glycero-3 phosphocholine on phosphatidylcholine synthesis was investigated in sensitive (HL-60) and resistant (K-562) human leukemic cell lines. Radiolabeled lysophosphatidyl-choline, choline, and methionine incorporation into phosphatidylcholine was measured in intact cells exposed for 24 h to varying concentrations of the compound. In HL-60 cells, marked inhibition of phosphatidylcholine synthesis was demonstrated using lysophosphatidylcholine or choline as precursors, but no effect was observed on methionine incorporation. No effects were observed in K-562 cells. These investigations suggest that alkyl-lysophospholipids inhibit phosphatidylcholine synthesis via the acyltransferase reaction and from choline, but not from methionine.     

Effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on the proliferation of leukemic cells from children with B-cell precursor-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL): studies of primary leukemic cells and BCP-ALL cell lines

The effect of recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rTNF-alpha) on the primary leukemic blasts and leukemic cell lines derived from children with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) was studied. The proliferation of leukemic cells from the bone marrow of 11 of 13 patients (seven at diagnosis, four in relapse) and from the 697 (BCP-ALL) cell line was significantly inhibited by rTNF-alpha at the lowest dose tested (0.1 ng/mL), as measured by 3H-TdR uptake. The degree of inhibition was variable, ranging from 17% to 78%. Furthermore, a dose-dependent inhibitory effect was observed, with approximately 70% mean inhibition of DNA synthesis detected when cells from 12 of 13 patients were incubated with 100 ng/mL of rTNF-alpha for 3 days. In contrast, rTNF-alpha did not inhibit another BCP-ALL cell line (EU-1/ALL) established recently in our laboratory. Studies indicated that the TNF-alpha gene was expressed by the primary leukemic blasts of one TNF-resistant case in his third relapse and by EU-1 cells. Also, TNF-alpha protein was detected by Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay in the supernatant of EU-1 cells; this is the first report of TNF production by a BCP-ALL cell lines. The production of TNF-alpha mRNA and protein was not detected in the 697 cell line and in the primary leukemic blasts from six patients (four at diagnosis, two in relapse) whose leukemic cells were inhibited by TNF. The partially purified TNF-alpha obtained from the EU-1 cell line also suppressed the proliferation of TNF-sensitive primary leukemic cells, and this inhibitory activity was abolished by an anti-TNF-alpha specific antibody. Our results demonstrate that TNF-alpha is an inhibitor of in vitro proliferation of BCP-ALL cells from most patients. The TNF-resistant leukemic cells from a few patients and the EU-1 cell line express TNF mRNA, suggesting that the induction of TNF gene expression is associated with the development of TNF resistance.     

Clonal analysis of the response of human myeloid leukemic cell lines to colony-stimulating activity

The recent development of two continuously proliferating human myeloid leukemic cell lines (HL-60 and KG-1) that response to CSA provides an opportunity for a detailed study of the interaction of CSA with leukemic myeloid cells. Here we report on the colony-forming ability of HL-60 and KG-1 over an extended culture life of the cells. Several different sources of human CSA of different stages of purity enhanced colony formation of these cells. CSA, obtained from conditioned media from an SV-40 transformed human trophoblast, was partially purified, and its activity for normal bone marrow copurified with the activity that stimulated HL-60 colony formation. Over 100 clones of HL-60 were developed and tested for their response to CSA. All responded to CSA by showing an increase in colony size and number. However, none of the colonies formed from any of the 100 clones differentiated in response to CSA despite the fact that many chemical can induce differentiation of HL-60. since HL-60 forms spontaneous colonies without the addition of any exogenous stimulating factors, HL-60 conditioned media and cell extracts were tested for the production by these cells of their own endogenous growth-promoting activity (such as a CSA-like molecule). No growth-promoting endogenous activity was found that stimulated normal bone marrow or HL-60 colony formation even after concentration and fractionation methods were employed. These experiments suggest that: (1) the effect of CSA markedly favors proliferation over differentiation in these cell lines; (2) CSA is unlikely to suppress growth of the age of the type of leukemic myeloid cells that HL-60 and KG-1 represent; and (3) if HL-60 cells produce their own growth- promoting factor it is not detectable in the media.     

Cell surface antigens detected in cell lines established from lymphomatous Papio hamadryas and Macaca arctoides monkeys.

Cell surface antigens associated with bone marrow cell cultures from leukemic monkeys of species Papio hamadryas and Macacus arctoides were visualized by means of an indirect immunofluorescence method with sera from leukemic baboons. The same immune serum gave two types of immunofluorescence, depending on the origin of the target cells. Fluorescence of the ring-reaction type was seen with Papio hamadryas bone marrow cell cultures growing in suspension and containing the baboon herpesvirus, whereas the patchy type of fluorescence was noted with monolayer bone marrow cell cultures from Macaca arctoides origin, containing type-C oncornavirus but not the herpesvirus particles. Absorption experiments showed that antibodies responsible for the patchy type of immunofluorescence could be absorbed with a disintegrated type-C baboon oncornavirus, and not with baboon lymphoblastoid cell lines containing the herpesvirus nor with human lymphoblastoid cell lines containing the Epstein-Barr virus.     

A monoclonal antibody that detects expression of transferrin receptor in human erythroid precursor cells

A monoclonal antibody, L5.1, obtained by immunizing a Balb/c mouse with HL60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells, was found to react with both HL60 cells and with the K562(S) cell line. This monoclonal antibody binds and immunoprecipitates a glycoprotein (Mr 87,000) present on the cell surface membrane of K562(S) as a disulfide bonded dimer. In competition experiments L5.1 competes with both transferrin and OKT9 (a known antitransferrin receptor antibody) for binding to target K562(S) erythroleukemia cells. Binding of both L5.1 and transferrin to the surface of K562(S) cells is inhibited by treatment with 12--O- tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, and the extent and time course of inhibition is similar in both cases. Cell sorting analysis of normal human marrow cells incubated with L5.1 indicates that L5.1 reacts strongly with all the morphologically recognizable erythroid lineage precursors, from the pronormoblast to the orthochromatic normoblast, and with reticulocytes. Erythrocytes, myeloid elements, monocytes, megakaryocytes and platelets, peripheral blood B and T lymphocytes do not bind significantly with this antibody and only a small fraction of promyelocytes was reactive. Antibody L5.1 did not react with leukemic cells of patients with acute lymphoblastic, myeloblastic and promyelocytic leukemias, but it did react with some established B (1 of 5) and T (2 of 3) cell lines, and a myeloid (1 of 3) cell line, and with PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes. The nonhemopoietic cell lines tested did not bind with L5.1 with the exception of a colorectal adenocarcinoma and a melanoma cell line, which were both strongly positive. The relationship of antibody L5.1 to other monoclonal antibodies that bind the transferrin receptor is discussed.     

Nonhistone protein antigen profiles of five leukemic cell lines reflect the extent of myeloid differentiation

The human leukemic cell lines, K562, KG-1, and HL-60, and the blast subclones, KG-1a and HL-60 blast, were utilized to relate differences in nonhistone protein antigens to stages of myeloid cell differentiation. Chromatin proteins were separated on SDS- polyacrylamide gels, transferred electrophoretically to nitrocellulose sheets, and visualized by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method of Sternberger. Screening with antisera raised against total and dehistonized chromatin and a nuclear extract from these cells revealed quantitative as well as qualitative differences between the cell lines. A decrease in antigen content seemed to parallel progressive stages of myeloid cell development. The results indicate that a number of chromosomal protein antigens are lost or modified during differentiation. An antigen(s) of approximately 55,000 molecular weight was found in HL-60 chromatin, but was not present in its less differentiated subclone or in the other lines representative of earlier stage cells. Upon the induction of HL-60 cells to mature to end stages with 4 microM retinoic acid, a significant increase in the mol wt 55,000 activity was seen. This antigen was detected only with antisera against HL-60 total chromatin and granulocyte nuclei, and it was found only in normal mature granulocytes and in the later stage cells of the HL-60 culture. Thus, the antigen appears to be associated with a differentiated myeloid function.     

Limiting-dilution analysis for the determination of leukemic cell frequencies after bone marrow decontamination with mafosfamide or merocyanine 540

To stimulate a leukemia remission marrow, cell suspensions of normal human bone marrow were mixed with human acute lymphoblastic or myelogenous leukemic cells of the CCRF-SF, Nalm-6, and K-562 lines. The cell mixtures were incubated in vitro with mafosfamide (AZ) or with the photoreactive dye merocyanine 540 (MC-540). A quantity of 10(4) cells of the treated suspensions was dispensed into microculture plates, and graded cell numbers of the line used to contaminate the normal marrow were added. Limiting-dilution analysis was used to estimate the frequency of leukemia cells persisting after treatment with the decontaminating agents. Treatment with AZ or MC-540 produced a total elimination (ie, 6 logs or 5.3 logs respectively) of B cell acute leukemia cells (CCRF-SB), whereas nearly 1.7 logs and 2 logs of K-562 acute myelogenous blasts were still present in the cell mixtures after treatment with MC-540 and AZ, respectively. Treatment of the Nalm-6- contaminated cell mixtures with AZ resulted in 100% elimination of clonogenic cells, whereas nearly 80% decontamination was obtained with MC-540. Our results suggest that treatment with AZ could be an effective method of eliminating clonogenic tumor cells from human bone marrow. MC-540, shown by previous studies to spare sufficient pluripotential stem cells to ensure hemopoietic reconstitution in the murine model and in clinical application, has comparable effects and merits trials for possible clinical use in autologous bone marrow transplantation.