title: Cord blood-derived and peripheral blood-derived cytokine-induced killer cells are sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis.
abstract: Fas-mediated apoptosis is one of the mechanisms used by tumor cells to escape the cytotoxicity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. It has been suggested that cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis, thereby rendering them more attractive for use in cellular immunotherapy. Unlike what was observed by others, here we show that CIK cells are sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis. We have observed an increase in Fas expression in the different CIK cell subpopulations (CD3(+)CD56(-), CD3(+)CD56(+), and CD3(-)CD56(+)) isolated from both cord blood (CB) and peripheral blood (PB). We also show that the bulk, as well as the CD3(+)CD56(-) and CD56(+) CB- and PB-CIK cell subpopulations were sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis induced by both CH11 and APO-1 antibodies, albeit with a weaker effect for the CH11 antibody on CB-CIK cells. In addition, in the presence of the APO-1 and CH11 inducers, Fas engagement inhibited the cytotoxic activity of CB- and PB-CIK cells. This new contradictory result may help explain the variable efficacy observed with CIK cells in the clinic.
authors.affiliation: CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Center of Cancerology Charles-Bruneau, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Durrieu
authors.forename: Mame Massar
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Deist
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D055612:Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Apoptosis; Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells; Fas