title: Influence of autologous dendritic cells on the in-vitro expansion and functions of peripheral blood NK cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allogeneic reactive NK cells were previously shown to exert a graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect during allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as reduce the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We used autologous immature DCs as feeder cells for the in-vitro expansion of NK cells and studied the function of the NK cell cultures.
  
  
  METHODS
  NK cells were cultured for 15 days in the presence of autologous, immature DCs. Fold expansion, killing activity and expression of IFN-γ, perforin and granzyme B were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest NK cell expansion efficiency was observed when the ratio of NK cells:DCs was 2:1 and when cells were cultured in a contact-dependent manner. The killing activity of NK cells was highest when the NK:DC ratio was 10:1. NK cell cultures exhibited a significant upregulation in the mRNA expression of IFN-γ, perforin and granzyme B when the ratio of NK cells to DCs was 10:1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We successfully amplified NK cells using autologous immature DCs derived from human peripheral monocytes after induction as feeder cells. The use of autologous immature DCs for ex-vivo expansion of NK cells can be clinically applied to overcome limitations, such as the small number of NK cells in peripheral blood, and the high cost of NK cell sorting. Transfusion of allogeneic reactive NK cells has been suggested as a potential adjunctive therapeutic strategy after transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autologous immature DCs can be used as feeder cells for ex-vivo expansion of functional NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital , Beijing , China and.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiong
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ya-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wan-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Da
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: Chun-Ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003470:Culture Media; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007376:Interleukin-2
keywords: Dendritic cells; feeder cells; immune response; natural killer cells; proliferation