Induction of anti-leukemic cytotoxic T lymphocytes by fusion of patient-derived dendritic cells with autologous myeloblasts

Presentation of AML antigens by dendritic cells DC could potentially induce a T cell-mediated anti-leukemic immune response. In the present study, we generated DC from adherent (AD-DC) and non-adherent (NAD-DC) myeloblasts obtained from bone marrows of AML patients. Both cell populations displayed morphological, phenotypic and functional properties of DC. The functions of NAD-DC were compared to AD-DC that had been fused with autologous AML blasts (FC/AML). The FC/AML induced greater T cell proliferation and CTL activity against autologous AML blasts (9/10 cases) as compared to NAD-DC. FC/AML may thus represent a promising strategy for DC-based immunotherapy of patients with AML. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.