Similar myeloid recovery despite superior overall engraftment in NOD/SCID mice after transplantation of human CD34(+) cells from umbilical cord blood as compared to adult sources.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB), bone marrow (BM) and mobilized peripheral blood (mPB) are used as sources of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation. The NOD/SCID mouse model was used to compare the lineage-specific repopulating potential of CD34(+) cells derived from these sources. Six to 8 weeks after transplantation, blood, BM, spleen, liver and thymus, were harvested, and analyzed by flow cytometry using CD34, CD45, myeloid, and lymphoid lineage-specific antibodies. Fifty percent engraftment of human cells in bone marrow of mice was estimated to be reached with 0.55 x 10(6) CD34(+) UCB cells or with 7.9 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells from adult sources, illustrating a 10-fold superiority of UCB CD34(+) cells to engraft NOD/SCID mice. Lineage-specific characterization of engrafted human cells showed that the high engraftment potential of CD34(+) cells from UCB was due to a preferential B cell development (2-81%). In contrast, comparable percentages of myeloid cells were found following transplantation of CD34(+) cells from UCB, BM and mPB (1-38%), and occurred at significant levels only at relatively high doses. Since the CD34 content of UCB transplants is usually at least one log lower than of transplant from adult sources, these results correspond to the clinical findings with UCB transplantation showing a relatively high overall engraftment, but delayed myeloid recovery.

Dual HLA class I and class II restricted recognition of alloreactive T lymphocytes mediated by a single T cell receptor complex.

The alloreactive human T cell clone MBM15 was found to exhibit dual specificity recognizing both an antigen in the context of the HLA class I A2 molecule and an antigen in the context of the HLA class II DR1. We demonstrated that the dual reactivity that was mediated via a single clonal T cell population depended on specific peptide binding. For complete recognition of the HLA-A2-restricted specificity the interaction of CD8 with HLA class I is essential. Interestingly, interaction of the CD8 molecule with HLA class I contributed to the HLA-DR1-restricted specificity. T cell clone MBM15 expressed two in-frame T cell receptor (TCR) Valpha transcripts (Valpha1 and Valpha2) and one TCR Vbeta transcript (Vbeta13). To elucidate whether two TCR complexes were responsible for the dual recognition or one complex, cytotoxic T cells were transduced with retroviral vectors encoding the different TCR chains. Only T cells transduced with the TCR Valpha1Vbeta13 combination specifically recognized both the HLA-A2(+) and HLA-DR1(+) target cells, whereas the Valpha2Vbeta13 combination did not result in a TCR on the cell surface. Thus a single TCRalphabeta complex can have dual specificity, recognizing both a peptide in the context of HLA class I as well as a peptide in the context of HLA class II. Transactivation of T cells by an unrelated antigen in the context of HLA class II may evoke an HLA class I-specific T cell response. We propose that this finding may have major implications for immunotherapeutic interventions and insight into the development of autoimmune diseases.

Complete remission of accelerated phase chronic myeloid leukemia by treatment with leukemia-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Relapse of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can be successfully treated by donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). However, relapse of accelerated phase CML, blast crisis, or acute leukemia after allogeneic SCT are resistant to DLI in the majority of cases. In vitro-selected and expanded leukemia-reactive T-cell lines may be more effective in inducing an antileukemic response in vivo. To treat a patient with accelerated phase CML after allogeneic SCT, leukemia-reactive cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) lines were generated from her HLA-identical donor. Using a modification of a limiting dilution assay, T cells were isolated from the donor, selected based on their ability to inhibit the in vitro growth of CML progenitor cells, and subsequently expanded in vitro to generate CTL lines. Three CTL lines were generated that lysed the leukemic cells from the patient and inhibited the growth of leukemic progenitor cells. The CTL did not react with lymphocytes from donor or recipient and did not affect donor hematopoietic progenitor cells. The 3 leukemia-reactive CTL lines were infused at 5-week intervals at a cumulative dose of 3.2 x 10(9) CTL. Shortly after the third infusion, complete eradication of the leukemic cells was observed, as shown by cytogenetic analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization, molecular analysis of BCR/ABL-mRNA, and chimerism studies. These results show that in vitro cultured leukemia-reactive CTL lines selected on their ability to inhibit the proliferation of leukemic progenitor cells in vitro can be successfully applied to treat accelerated phase CML after allogeneic SCT.

Interleukin 1 and poly(rI).poly(rC) induce production of granulocyte CSF, macrophage CSF, and granulocyte-macrophage CSF by human endothelial cells.

Electrophoretically pure human interleukin 1 (IL-1) beta was found to stimulate human endothelial cells in monolayer culture to elaborate colony-stimulating activity (CSA). Supernatant fluids from cultures stimulated with increasing concentrations of IL-1 were found to stimulate colony formation of myeloid (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E), and multipotent (CFU-GEMM) progenitor cells in a dose-dependent fashion. The effect on mixed colony formation, however, was less than on CFU-GM and BFU-E growth. Similar to IL-1, the double-stranded RNA polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (poly[rI].poly[rC]) also stimulated release of CSA by endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The kinetics of IL-1-induced CSA release as opposed to poly(rI).poly(rC)-induced release were found to be different, in that poly(rI).poly(rC)-induced CSA production occurred more slowly. An anti-IL-1 beta antiserum was able to completely neutralize the IL-1-induced CSA release, but had no effect on poly(rI).poly(rC)-dependent CSA production, indicating that the latter effect was mediated by other mechanisms than intermediate production of IL-1 beta. Using specific immunologic assays, IL-1- as well as poly(rI).poly(rC)-inducible production of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage CSF, and macrophage CSF was found. The release of CSF from endothelial cells in response to IL-1 may be a mechanism for stimulating production of neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes, and for attracting and activating these cells at sites of inflammation.

Comparison of the antileukaemic activity of 5 aza-2-deoxycytidine and arabinofuranosyl-cytosine in rats with myelocytic leukaemia.

Using a Brown Norway rat leukaemia model (BNML), which is a realistic model of human myelocytic leukaemia, we compared the antileukaemic activity, influence on cell cycle kinetics and effect on normal haematopoiesis of 5 aza-2-deoxycytidine (aza-dC) and arabinofuranosyl-cytosine (ara-C). The antileukaemic activity was evaluated by means of a survival study. For aza-dC a dose-response relationship was demonstrated for doses up to 50 mg kg-1 (3 times q 12 h); a higher dose resulted in only a slight increase in median survival time (MST). For ara-C a weak dose-response relationship was observed. At the maximum dose of aza-dC and ara-C tested, aza-dC induced a 10-day longer survival time than ara-C, which means 2 logs more of leukaemic cell kill for aza-dC. By means of flow cytometric analysis and a 3HTdR uptake study it was shown that aza-dC does not influence the cell cycle kinetics in the first 24 h after exposure, in contrast to ara-C which caused the characteristic G1/S blockage and synchronization. The influence of aza-dC and ara-C on normal haematopoiesis was evaluated with the CFU-S assay. The dose-response curve for CFU-S did not show a significant difference in stem cell cytotoxicity between aza-dC and ara-C. In the BNML model aza-dC is a much more effective antileukaemic agent than ara-C, while the toxic effect on normal haematopoiesis is comparable to that of ara-C.

Human fibroblasts produce granulocyte-CSF, macrophage-CSF, and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF following stimulation by interleukin-1 and poly(rI).poly(rC).

Electrophoretically pure human interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta was found to stimulate human fibroblasts in a monolayer culture to elaborate colony-stimulating activity (CSA). Supernatant fluids from cultures induced with increasing concentrations of IL-1 were found to stimulate colony formation of myeloid (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E), and multipotent (CFU-GEMM) progenitor cells in a dose-dependent fashion. The effect on mixed colony formation, however, was less than on CFU-GM and BFU-E growth. Similar to IL-1, the synthetical double-stranded RNA poly(rI).poly(rC) also stimulated release of CSA by fibroblasts. The kinetics of IL-1- and poly(rI).poly(rC)-induced CSA release were found to be different, in that poly(rI).poly(rC)-induced CSA production occurred more slowly. Anti-IL-1 antiserum was able to completely neutralize the IL-1-induced CSA release, but had no effect on poly(rI).poly(rC)-induced CSF production, suggesting that the latter effect was mediated by other mechanisms than IL-1 in supernatant. By the use of specific immunologic assays, G-CSF, M-CSF, and GM-CSF could be identified in media conditioned by fibroblasts treated with IL-1 or poly(rI).poly(rC). Poly(rI).poly(rC) appeared to be a better inducer for M-CSF than IL-1.

A comparison of two culture techniques: an in vitro & an in vivo tumour colony-forming assay.

Twenty-one identical tumour specimens were cultured both in the Plasma-Clot Diffusion Chamber (PCDC) Technique and the Human Tumour Colony-forming Assay (HTCA). The culture results achieved in the PCDC-technique were clearly superior to the HTCA: in the PCDC the mean and median plating efficiency (PE) was 0.156 and 0.147, in the HTCA 0.103 and 0.028%; adequate growth rate in the PCDC-technique was 67% and in the HTCA 38%. Fewer cells were required for plating in the PCDC-technique: 6.4 X 10(4) vs. 2.6 X 10(5) in the HTCA. The mean and median coefficient of variation of the colony numbers in the PCDC-technique appeared much higher: 27.3 and 37.3 vs. 11.2 and 11.1% in the HTCA. The relation between the PEs obtained for the same specimen in the two techniques was compared. No positive correlation was found, which can possibly be ascribed to technical shortcomings in both techniques.

An in vivo clonogenic assay for human tumors using plasma clot diffusion chambers implanted in mice.

A modification of the in vivo tumor clonogenic assay using plasma clot diffusion chambers has been described which allows improved study of the cytological characteristics of the colonies cultured. Seventy-five percent of the tumors derived from malignant ascites could be cultured successfully (more than 30 small and large colonies per diffusion chamber). The cloning efficiency ranged from 0.01 to 10%. The addition of 2-mercaptoethanol, horse serum and insulin to the diffusion chambers did not affect colony formation, whereas the effect of cell-free malignant ascites added to the diffusion chambers was unpredictable. Colony growth was comparable when fresh or cryopreserved tumor cells were cultured. A linear relationship between the number of tumor cells inoculated and the number of colonies cultured was apparent in the range 10(2)-10(4) cells. Colony formation was stimulated by pre-irradiation (8 Gy) of the host animal and by weekly transplantation of the diffusion chambers in new mice. Intravenously administered doxorubicin penetrated the plasma clot and caused inhibition of colony formation in two experiments with melanoma cells.