|
|
||||||||
The Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Institute for Clinical Research, Kumamoto National Hospital, Japan
Correspondence and current address of Shin-ichiro Fujii, M.D., Ph.D.: Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021-6399. E-mail: fujiis{at}mail.rockefeller.edu
Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in immune regulation. Some leukemic cells are argued to be malignant counterparts of DC because of their ability to differentiate into leukemic DC. We characterize DC-like leukemia homogenously expressing CD11c+CD86+ in acute myelogenous leukemia patients. They express the Wilms tumor-1 antigen and common DC phenotypes (i.e., fascin+, CD83+, and DR+) directly. Purified leukemic cells produce interleukin-12 (IL-12) simultaneously with Fas ligand (FasL) and IL-6, which may suppress T cell-mediated immunity. These cells can elicit strong allogeneic T cell responses as well as induce tumor-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, suggesting that they effectively present tumor-associated antigens. In contrast, they drive primary T cells toward apoptosis mediated in a tumor-specific way by a Fas-FasL interaction. Taken together, DC-like leukemia uniquely influences immune surveillance in contradictory ways, some of which may be involved in the mechanism of immune escape.
Key Words: Fas ligand apoptosis cytotoxic T cells
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |