Acute lymphoblastic leukemia of NK-cell lineage: responses to IL-2.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemias with phenotypic characteristics of natural killer cell derived lineage are extremely uncommon. We identified an ALL with a phenotype consistent with an NK-cell of origin. The blasts underwent a proliferative response to r-IL2 in culture but showed no spontaneous or r-IL2 or gamma-INF induced cytotoxicity. With r-IL2 stimulation however, the tumor cells demonstrated a dramatic acquisition of low density CD8 surface positivity and a loss of CD11b expression after short term culture. By comparison to ALL of B or T lineage, NK ALL likely represents an early stage of bone marrow derived NK-cell precursor.
Pirruccello
S J
SJ
Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68105-1065.
Bicak
M S
MS
Gordon
B G
BG
Gajl-Peczalska
K
K
Gnarra
D J
DJ
Coccia
P F
PF
D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D007376:Interleukin-2