Experimental basis of antileukaemic chemotherapy.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H A Messner.
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Human myeloma colonies were grown from the peripheral blood of a patient with multiple myeloma who was unresponsive to any further therapy. The majority of primary myeloma colonies contained cells that were able to form secondary colonies upon replating and facilitated the establishment of a myeloma cell line (OCI-My5). The recloning procedure was repeated for colonies that contained the highest and lowest number of clonogenic progenitors. This approach allowed the selection of clonogenic cells with high self-renewal potential. Using a cell separation procedure based on differences in sedimentation velocity, clonogenic myeloma cells with high self-renewal were found to be smaller than the majority of clonogenic myeloma cells. Furthermore, cells with increasing size did not only display reduced self-renewal ability but showed significant increases in the content of mRNA transcripts for lambda light chains. These data were consistent with the view that clonogenic myeloma cells are heterogeneous with respect to self-replication and that they give rise to more differentiated progeny, as documented by increasing mRNA levels for the M-protein.
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Plasma samples were obtained from 34 bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients before and after administration of the preparative regimen and tested for their ability to promote and/or support growth of hemopoietic colonies. The ability of plasma samples to promote colony formation on their own was tested on normal nonadherent target cells without addition of exogenous growth factors. The growth-supporting activity was examined in the presence of medium conditioned by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocytes (PHA-LCM) and/or erythropoietin (EPO). A series of kinetic changes was routinely observed. Pretransplant samples rarely gave rise to colonies without addition of exogenous growth factors. Plasma samples obtained after completion of the preparative regimen demonstrated increments of growth-promoting activities for megakaryocyte and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-Meg and CFU-GM), respectively, that peaked between 7 and 21 d after transplantation. By day 30, activity levels of some patients had returned to pretransplant values, whereas in other patients, activities remained elevated. Persisting activity levels were associated with delayed engraftment. In contrast, activities for progenitors committed to erythropoiesis (BFU-E) and pluripotent precursors (CFU-GEMM) were only rarely observed. The activities were independent of febrile episodes. Their growth-promoting influence on CFU-GM could be neutralized completely by anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) antibodies. These data suggest that at least some of the observed activities in post-BMT plasma are related to GM-CSF. The growth-supporting activities of pretransplant plasma samples are lower than normal plasma when tested on CFU-Meg and CFU-GM. The growth-supporting activities improved transiently within the first month after BMT. A decline during the second and third month was followed by a gradual return to activity levels that were comparable to normal plasma. The effects of these plasma samples on BFU-E and CFU-GEMM were assessed with PHA-LCM and EPO. Similar to CFU-Meg- and CFU-GM-supporting capabilities, they improved transiently after BMT with a return of normal support function after 5-6 mo. The observed endogenous production of growth-promoting and growth-supporting activities for hemopoietic progenitors may serve as a background to design clinical trials for the timely administration of recombinant hemopoietic growth factors to BMT recipients.
Normal human plasma samples usually support the growth of hemopoietic progenitors in the presence of exogenous growth factors. In contrast, plasma samples collected serially from bone marrow transplant recipients after administration of their preparative regimen demonstrate activities that routinely stimulate the growth of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-GM) and precursors for megakaryocytes (CFU-Meg). The peak activities are usually observed between day 7 and day 21. Occasionally growth promoting activities for erythroid bursts are also observed. Activities for the growth of multilineage colonies are only rarely seen. These growth promoting activities for CFU-GM and CFU-Meg usually return to pretransplant values by day 30 in patients with prompt engraftment. Patients with delayed engraftment sustain high levels of growth promoting activities for long periods of time.
We have analyzed cells of the B lineage for expression of the Tp44 antigen, a 44,000 homodimer detected by monoclonal antibody 9.3 on approximately 80% of mature human T lymphocytes. Previous evidence has suggested that Tp44 may function as a receptor for accessory signals in T cell activation. High level Tp44 expression was observed on plasmacytomas grown in cell culture and on plasma cells from bone marrow biopsies of multiple myeloma patients. This antigen is not present on resting B cells from either peripheral blood or lymphoid organs, or on any other B cell tumor. The growth kinetics and Ig production in plasmacytomas are not affected by the binding of antibody 9.3. Moreover, the Tp44 molecule is co-expressed with PCA-1, an antigen characteristic of plasma cells, on peripheral blood B cells stimulated in vitro to differentiate toward plasma cells. Tp44 may represent a later stage of B cell differentiation than PCA-1 because unlike the PCA-1 antigen, this molecule could not be detected on any EBV-transformed cell line or Burkitt's lymphoma lines. The m.w. of the Tp44 molecule expressed on plasma cells and on T cells is identical, as determined by immunoprecipitation of radioiodinated cell surface proteins with monoclonal antibody 9.3. This antigen might be useful in studying the mechanism of growth and differentiation of human B cells, the heterogeneity within plasma cell populations, and B cell interactions with other components of the immune system.
Human megakaryocyte colonies are grown in methylcellulose with platelet-poor plasma and medium conditioned by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocytes (PHA-LCM) as a source of megakaryocyte colony stimulating factor (MEG-CSF). The megakaryocyte colony growth-supporting activity in human plasma can be absorbed by intact platelets or degranulated platelet membranes. It was possible to recover the activity by solubilizing platelet membranes with cholic acid. Filtration of the solubilized platelet membrane preparations through a Sephadex G-100 column yielded at least two activity peaks. The molecular weight of these two activities differs from that of the growth-promoting activity in PHA-LCM.
Studies of the effect of interferon on the growth of colonies of myeloid leukemic blasts, myeloma colony-forming cells and normal hemopoietic precursor cells have shown that interferon does not specifically inhibit the growth of the malignant cells in culture, i.e. the growth of the malignant and the normal precursor cells are inhibited equally. However, interferon markedly reduces the self-renewal capacity of acute myeloid leukemic blasts and myeloma cells. This observation suggested that interferon should be tested for its ability to prolong remissions rather than as a remission-inducing agent. We have tested the ability of interferon alfa-2b (Intron A; Schering-Plough) to prolong remissions induced by busulfan in patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL). The leukocyte doubling time (Td) and remission duration on no therapy was compared to the values observed during interferon alfa-2b maintenance therapy. Fourteen patients have been started on study and seven have received interferon alfa-2b for three months or more. All seven have shown slowing of the leukocyte Td and prolongation of the remission duration after interferon alfa-2b therapy. A larger study, with longer follow-up, will be required to determine whether interferon alfa-2b therapy will slow or prevent progression of CGL to the blast phase and prolong survival.
Supernatants of COS-1 cells transfected with gibbon cDNA encoding interleukin 3 (IL-3) with homology to sequences for human IL-3 were tested for ability to promote growth of various human hemopoietic progenitors. The effect of these supernatants as a source of recombinant IL-3 was compared to that of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) as well as to that of medium conditioned by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocytes. The frequency of multilineage colonies, erythroid bursts, and megakaryocyte colonies in cultures containing the COS-1 cell supernatant was equivalent to the frequency observed in the controls and significantly higher than found in cultures plated with recombinant GM-CSF. G-CSF did not support the formation of multilineage colonies, erythroid bursts, and megakaryocyte colonies. In contrast, growth of granulocyte-macrophage colonies was best supported with GM-CSF, while recombinant IL-3 yielded colonies at lower or at best equivalent frequency. The simultaneous addition of higher concentrations of GM-CSF to cultures containing IL-3 in optimal amounts did not enhance the formation of multilineage colonies, erythroid bursts, and megakaryocyte colonies. However, the frequency of such colonies and bursts increased with GM-CSF when cultures were plated with suboptimal concentrations of IL-3. Growth of colonies within the granulocyte-macrophage lineage is optimally supported by GM-CSF and does not increase with further addition of IL-3.
High-dose cytosine arabinoside (HDAra-C) has been used for remission induction, and in conventional doses for maintenance in a trial of single-agent therapy in 43 previously untreated patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Rationale for the trial was provided by the observed decrease in leukemic blast cell self-renewal in culture following exposure to Ara-C. Compared with a previous trial of 57 patients treated with multidrug therapy, single-drug Ara-C was associated with a significantly improved complete remission rate (P = .010), although the survival time was not increased. All patients with low self-renewal responded to HDAra-C in contrast to the previous trial where some patients with this phenotype failed remission induction. The clinical observations are consistent with the view that the antileukemic effect of Ara-C has some specificity for cellular events required for self-renewal of blast cells. Exposure in vivo to Ara-C was associated with an increase in blast stem cell renewal at relapse, indicating that maintenance with other drugs should be tested. The study demonstrates the importance of biological attributes in design and analysis of clinical trials.
The incidence of acute leukemia in pregnancy is low and even referral centers have limited experience. Although the short-term risks for children exposed in utero to cytotoxic agents are predictable, there is no information on long-term complications. We report here our experience in the treatment of seven cases of acute leukemia diagnosed during pregnancy, and a literature review of 51 cases published since 1975. Fifty-three patients received chemotherapy during their pregnancies. Forty-nine of the 58 cases resulted in the birth of 50 live infants. Twenty-eight infants were born prematurely, and four had low birth-weights for their gestational age. Thirty-three percent of the newborns exposed to chemotherapy in the last month of pregnancy were cytopenic at birth, but other perinatal complications were not increased. Only one child (present series) had obvious congenital malformations, and this same infant later developed a neuroblastoma arising in the adrenal gland and a papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Follow-up data are not provided in most previously reported cases, but long-term follow-up of our cases from 1 to 17 years has shown normal growth and development and no further malignancies. A central registry is strongly advised in order to document the long-term complications arising in children exposed to chemotherapy in utero.
In a retrospective review of 21 bone marrow transplantation procedures (BMT), we identified ten episodes of acute pulmonary edema coinciding with significant weight gain in the second week after BMT. When we prospectively observed nine consecutive BMT recipients, six patients developed acute pulmonary edema associated with significant (p less than 0.05) weight gain and an increase in echocardiographically determined left ventricular end diastolic diameter. These findings led to a prospective prophylactic intervention study of 30 consecutive BMT patients. Prophylactic intervention consisting of reduced fluid volume of parenteral alimentation, and diuretic therapy was instituted at any clinical sign of fluid overload. No episode of pulmonary edema occurred. The dramatic difference--acute pulmonary edema occurred in 16/30 untreated vs 0/30 treated cases--suggests that this post-BMT complication is critically related to fluid balance and can be prevented by careful clinical examination, close monitoring of weight change, avoidance of fluid overload and the appropriate use of diuretic therapy.
Three patients who received antithymocyte globulin therapy for severe aplastic anemia due to gold therapy are described. In 2 patients the hemoglobin, white blood cell count and neutrophils were normal and platelet counts exceeded 100 X 10(9)/1 more than 2 years after treatment. The 3rd patient did not respond to antithymocyte globulin or to cyclosporine therapy; subsequent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation resulted in satisfactory engraftment at 12 months. In all 3 patients the arthritis was improved after the episode of marrow aplasia and its treatment. Including these 3 patients, 12 reported patients with severe aplastic anemia due to gold have now been treated with antithymocyte globulin; 8 have shown significant improvement. These results are better than those reported for any other treatment. Antithymocyte globulin may be optimal initial treatment for this serious disorder.
Multilineage and single-lineage hemopoietic precursors were studied in 102 bone marrow transplant recipients and their respective donors to determine their contribution to clinical outcome as measured by time to engraftment and survival. The patient population was heterogenous with respect to diagnosis and disease status. They included individuals with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), aplastic anemia, and a few other hematopoietic malignancies. The frequency of various clonogenic precursors in the normal donor population varied considerably. The data yielded a symmetrical distribution. In contrast, most bone marrow transplant recipients presented with significantly reduced numbers of clonogenic cells before transplantation, resulting in skewed distribution profiles. Serial studies of recipients demonstrated a significantly lower than normal level of clonogenic precursors even 3 and 4 years after transplantation. The median values and distribution profiles approximated those observed before transplantation but did not return to measurements obtained for normal donors. Patients with ALL deviated from this pattern. The median values and distribution profiles of clonogenic precursors before transplantation approximated the pattern of normal donors. The frequency of clonogenic progenitors after transplantation, however, remained significantly lower than that of their respective donor or pretransplant values. Cell cycle studies performed after normalization of peripheral blood hematopoietic parameters demonstrated for most recipients that a higher than normal proportion of multipotent cells was in S-phase (P = .011). By univariate and multivariate approaches, clonogenic precursors and clinical parameters were assessed for their contributions to clinical outcome as measured by time to engraftment and survival time. The number of nucleated cells in the transplant inoculum contributed to survival independent of other risk factors. Patients with a higher cell load had a higher probability of surviving than did patients with a lower cell concentration in the transplant inoculum (P = .042). The frequency of clonogenic precursors in the transplant inoculum altered neither survival nor time to engraftment. The time to engraftment was significantly influenced by the frequency of clonogenic megakaryocyte precursors (CFU-M) observed in recipients prior to transplantation (P = .003). Patients with high values engrafted faster than did patients with a low frequency of CFU-M. This was independent of both diagnosis and disease status of the patients at time of transplantation.
A culture system has been developed that promotes growth of clonogenic lymphoma cells of some patients with intermediate and high-grade malignant lymphoma. The formation of colonies in bone marrow, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood samples is best supported by human plasma. Colony formation of some patients was dependent upon growth factors, which in this study were added in the form of medium conditioned by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated leukocytes (PHA-LCM). Some gave rise to lymphoma colonies without PHA-LCM but improved their frequency with PHA-LCM; others were completely independent of PHA-LCM. Colonies grown in primary cultures were routinely recloned and propagated as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative cell lines with stable B cell phenotype. The cell lines showed the same immunoglobulin rearrangement pattern as that observed in the primary lymphoma sample. In addition, a significant clinical correlation was observed between culture data and clinical outcome. Survival of patients who formed lymphoma colonies at any time during their clinical course was significantly shorter than survival of patients who did not give rise to colonies (P = 0.0009). The same observation was made when the survival assessment was performed for the subset of patients studied at diagnosis (P = 0.0014).
The maintenance of hemopoietic precursors in long-term liquid bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) is associated with the presence of an adherent stromal layer composed of heterogeneous cell populations. We have used a culture assay to promote the growth of one of its cellular components and characterize its properties. Freshly obtained bone marrow cells and cells derived from the adherent layer of LTBMC were grown in methylcellulose-clotted plasma in the presence of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocyte-conditioned medium (PHA-LCM), hydrocortisone (HC), and citrated normal human plasma. Both sources contained cells (CFU-RF) that gave rise to colonies of cells with a reticulofibroblastoid appearance. In the presence of HC, most colonies contained lipid-laden cells. Colonies could be further propagated as adherent layers when transferred into liquid cultures. These cells produced laminin, fibronectin, and collagen types I, III, IV, and V. They were negative for Von Willebrand factor VIII. The ability to synthesize laminin and collagen type IV distinguished these cells from a population of previously described bone marrow fibroblasts (CFU-F). The relationship of CFU-RF to hemopoietic precursors was investigated using patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and bone marrow transplant recipients. Cells within CFU-RF-derived colonies were uniformly negative for the Philadelphia chromosome, thus making it unlikely that they belonged to the malignant hemopoietic clone. CFU-RF-derived colonies in bone marrow transplant recipients were found to be exclusively of host origin. Both observations support the view that CFU-RF is not part of the repertoire of hemopoietic stem cells.
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The assay for CFU-GEMM has provided a measurement for pluripotent hemopoietic precursors in normal and abnormal hemopoiesis. While these cells are able to express the functional repertoire that includes not only myelopoiesis but also lymphopoiesis attempts to determine their self-renewal have shown little or no self-renewal capability. It is currently not known whether this observation reflects culture conditions favouring differentiation processes and suppressing self-renewal, or whether the observation made in culture truly reflects the potential of cells in vivo. Recent advances in molecular biology have lead to the identification of the genomic sequences of at least one of the hemopoietic growth factors thus confirming their importance as regulators.