title: Alemtuzumab (CAMPATH 1H) does not kill chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells in serum free medium.
abstract: The mechanism of action of alemtuzumab (CAMPATH 1H) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is uncertain. We tested the hypothesis that alemtuzumab alone can induce apoptosis in cultured CLL cells. Purified peripheral blood B-lymphocytes from CLL patients were treated in serum free medium (AIM-V). There was minimal spontaneous apoptosis in untreated cells. Alemtuzumab ligation did not alter the membrane distribution of CD52 in single cells but many cells formed transient, small, tightly adherent clusters. Alemtuzumab alone did not induce apoptosis. In contrast, alemtuzumab plus complement was rapidly cytotoxic. We conclude that alemtuzumab does not cause apoptosis in purified CLL B cells cultured in serum free medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, slot 501 and 508, Little Rock, AR, USA. zent.clive@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Clive S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zent
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kurten
authors.forename: Gur P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kaushal
authors.forename: H Marie
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lacy
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schichman
mesh_terms: D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000494:pharmacology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D002699:Chlorambucil; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine