Distinct characteristics of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells derived
from patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). A factor in
B-CLL serum promotes natural killer cell-like LAK cell growth
F Santiago-Schwarz, C Panagiotopoulos, A Sawitsky and KR Rai
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New
Hyde Park, NY.
We show that lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell precursors derived from
patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and cultured in
the presence of recombinant interleukin-2 and normal human serum (NHS),
develop into primarily NK cell-like (CD 57+) LAK cells, whereas identically
prepared LAK cell precursors from normal subjects develop into mainly T
cell-like (CD 3+, CD 8+) LAK cells. B-CLL LAK cells exhibited greater
proliferative capacity than did normal LAK cells. When normal LAK cells
were grown in B-CLL serum instead of NHS, their proliferation increased; NK
cell levels also increased to those found in B-CLL LAK cells, suggesting
that B-CLL serum contains a factor that promotes NK cell-like growth, LAK
cells derived from normal or B- CLL patients demonstrated similar lytic
activity toward K562 and Raji cells. Growth in B-CLL serum did not reduce
their lytic potential. Thus, the altered phenotype and growth exhibited by
B-CLL LAK cells and normal LAK cells grown in B-CLL serum does not lead to
abnormalities in their cytolytic functions. We propose instead that the
predominance of NK-like cells in B-CLL LAK cell populations and the
presence of an NK cell-like growth factor in B-CLL serum reflect
abnormalities related to NK cell-mediated B-cell regulation; ie, either
inhibition of normal B- cell growth and/or growth stimulation of the
leukemic clone in B-CLL.
Volume 76,
Issue 7,
pp. 1355-1360,
10/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Hematology
