title: Eliminating acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells from human testicular cell cultures: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study whether acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells survive in a human testicular cell culture system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental laboratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive biology laboratory, academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells from three patients and testicular cells from three other patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells were cultured alone or in combination with testicular cells, at various concentrations, in a system that has recently been developed to propagate human spermatogonial stem cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Viability of ALL and testicular cells during culture was evaluated by flow cytometry using markers for live/dead cells. Furthermore, the presence of ALL cells among testicular cells was determined by highly sensitive (1:10,000 to 1:100,000 cells) patient-specific antigen-receptor minimal residual disease polymerase chain reaction. The presence of spermatogonia at the end of culture was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for ZBTB16, UCHL1, and GPR125.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ALL cells cultured separately did not survive beyond 14 days of culture. When cultured together with testicular cells, even at extremely high initial concentrations (40% ALL cells), ALL cells were undetectable beyond 26 days of culture. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of spermatogonia at the end of the culture period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot study shows that the described testicular cell culture system not only allows for efficient propagation of spermatogonial stem cells but also eliminates contaminating ALL cells.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, The Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: hsadri@wakehealth.edu.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadri-Ardekani
authors.affiliation: Experimental Immunohematology, Sanquin Research at the Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (CLB), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christa H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Homburg
authors.affiliation: Departments of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Toni M M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: van Capel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Women's and Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fulco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van der Veen
authors.affiliation: Experimental Immunohematology, Sanquin Research at the Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (CLB), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: C Ellen
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: van der Schoot
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: a.m.vanpelt@amc.uva.nl.
authors.forename: Ans M M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van Pelt
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sjoerd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Repping
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Fertility preservation; childhood cancer; human testis; leukemia; spermatogonial stem cell