Distinct characteristics of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells derived from patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). A factor in B-CLL serum promotes natural killer cell-like LAK cell growth.
We show that lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell precursors derived from patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and cultured in the presence of recombinant interleukin-2 and normal human serum (NHS), develop into primarily NK cell-like (CD 57+) LAK cells, whereas identically prepared LAK cell precursors from normal subjects develop into mainly T cell-like (CD 3+, CD 8+) LAK cells. B-CLL LAK cells exhibited greater proliferative capacity than did normal LAK cells. When normal LAK cells were grown in B-CLL serum instead of NHS, their proliferation increased; NK cell levels also increased to those found in B-CLL LAK cells, suggesting that B-CLL serum contains a factor that promotes NK cell-like growth, LAK cells derived from normal or B-CLL patients demonstrated similar lytic activity toward K562 and Raji cells. Growth in B-CLL serum did not reduce their lytic potential. Thus, the altered phenotype and growth exhibited by B-CLL LAK cells and normal LAK cells grown in B-CLL serum does not lead to abnormalities in their cytolytic functions. We propose instead that the predominance of NK-like cells in B-CLL LAK cell populations and the presence of an NK cell-like growth factor in B-CLL serum reflect abnormalities related to NK cell-mediated B-cell regulation; ie, either inhibition of normal B-cell growth and/or growth stimulation of the leukemic clone in B-CLL.
Santiago-Schwarz
F
F
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY.
Panagiotopoulos
C
C
Sawitsky
A
A
Rai
K R
KR
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001798:Blood Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2