Researchers from Tarbiat Modares University provide details of new studies and findings in the area of acute myeloid leukemia
2009 JUL 8 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most important antigen presenting cells with potentially useful applications in cancer immunotherapy. Leukemic cells of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) could be differentiated to DC-like cells possessing the ability of stimulating anti-leukemic immune response," scientists in Iran report. "Despite obvious progress in DC-based immunotherapy, some discrepancies were reported in differentiation potential of AML blasts from all patients toward DC like cells. The present study, as a local experience, was set up to generate DCs from AML blasts of various subtypes. Leukemic Blasts from 16 Iranian AML patients were differentiated into functional DCs by culturing in the presence of rhGM-CSF, rhIL-4 and TNF-alpha for 8 days. The morphology, expression of key surface molecules and allostimulatory activity of resultant DCs were compared with primary blasts and cultured but cytokine untreated control groups. The pattern of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) expression was used to approve the leukemic origin of generated DCs. Neo-expression or upregulation of DC-associated markers were occurred during culturing period in cytokine treated cells compared with primary blasts and cultured but cytokine untreated control groups: CD1a (63.22% vs. 3.22% and 11.79%), CD83 (41.27% vs. 0.11% and 0.70%), CD40 (15.17% vs. 0.00% and 0.04%), CD80 (49.96 vs. 0.02% and 0.32%), CD86 (56.49% vs. 0.50% and 5.71%) and HLA-DR (52.52% vs. 14.32% and 2.49%) respectively. The potency of generated DCs to induce allogeneic T cell proliferation increased significantly compared to pre and post culture control groups (27,533.4 +/- 2,548.3, 8,820.4 +/- 1,639.4 and 3,200.35 +/- 976 respectively). The expression pattern of ACE in AML-DCs, blast cells and DCs derived from normal monocytes (7.93%, 1.28% and 74.97% respectively) confirmed the leukemic origin of DCs. Our data confirmed the generation of sufficient AML-derived cells with the properties of DCs in all cases," wrote K. Bagheri and colleagues, Tarbiat Modares University. The researchers concluded: "This potency of AML blasts, offers a useful route for active immunotherapy of AML patients.." Bagheri and colleagues published their study in Pathology & Oncology Research (The Efficient Generation of Immunocompetent Dendritic Cells from Leukemic Blasts in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Local Experience. Pathology & Oncology Research, 2009;15(2):257-267). For more information, contact S.M. Moazzeni, Tarbiat Modares University, Dept. of Immunology, Faculty Med Science, POB 14115-331, Tehran, Iran. Publisher contact information for the journal Pathology & Oncology Research is: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands. Keywords: Iran, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Angiotensin, Biological Therapy, Cancer, Cell Differentiation, Clinical Trial Research, Hematology, Immunotherapy, Oncology, Pathology, Treatment, Tarbiat Modares University. This article was prepared by Immunotherapy Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Immunotherapy Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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