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URL http://www.rockymountainbmt.com/news/Autologous-dendritic-cells-generated-from-leukemic-blasts-show-promise-as-immunotherapy-for-patients-with-acute-myeloid-leukemia-2844.html

Autologous dendritic cells generated from leukemic blasts show promise as immunotherapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia

08-22-2006

Scientists writing in the International Journal of Oncology report, "Vaccination with dendritic cells (DCs) as professional antigen presenting cells generated from autologous leukemic blasts might elicit anti-leukemic T cell responses in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To test this hypothesis, autologous AML-DC were generated under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions and injected s.c. into five AML patients up to four times at a biweekly interval."

"No severe adverse side effects were observed," stated Li Li and colleagues at the University of Ulm. "Three patients remained in a stable condition for 5.5 to 13 months and two patients died from rapidly progressive AML."

"Compared to the initial T cell frequency, enzyme linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assays revealed a significant increase of granzyme B releasing CD8+ T cells specifically recognizing the PRAME-derived peptide (ALYVDSLFFL), a leukemia-associated antigen expressed by AML blasts," the researchers reported. "The cytokine levels in the serum of vaccination AML patients as assessed by cytokine bead assay changed over the period of vaccination to an elevated type 1 T helper cell pattern. Interferon gamma production by CD4+ T helper cells increased during vaccination."

The authors concluded, "In summary, we demonstrated that autologous AML-DC vaccination is well tolerated and can result in an enhanced and specific response of cytotoxic T cells in AML patients."

Li and associates published their study in the International Journal of Oncology (Immunotherapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia using autologous dendritic cells generated from leukemic blasts. Int J Oncol, 2006;28(4):855-861).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Michael Schmitt, Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Ulm, Robert-Koch-Strasse 8, D-89081 Ulm, Germany. michael.schmitt@medizin.uni-ulm.de.

This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.