Abstract on Immunotherapy from Leukemia 6-05

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Original Manuscript

Leukemia (2005) 19, 1621-1627. doi: 10.1038/sj.leu.2403860; published

online 30 June 2005

Immunology

Allogeneic dendritic cells pulsed with tumor lysates or apoptotic bodies

as immunotherapy for patients with early-stage B-cell chronic lymphocytic

leukemia

I Hus1, J Roliski2, J Tabarkiewicz2, K Wojas2, A Bojarska-Junak2, J

Greiner3, K Giannopoulos2,3, A Dmoszyska1 and M Schmitt3

1Hematology Department, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland

2Clinical Immunology Department, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin,

Poland

3Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

Correspondence: Dr M Schmitt, Third Department of Internal Medicine,

University of Ulm, -Koch-Strasse 8, 89081 Ulm, Germany. Fax: +49

731 500 40364; E-mail: michael.schmitt@...

Received 16 March 2005; Accepted 26 May 2005; Published online 30 June

2005.

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Abstract

Recently, immunotherapies with allogeneic dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed

with tumor antigens to generate specific T-cell responses have been

tested in clinical trials for patients with solid tumors. This is the

first report on a clinical vaccination study with DCs for patients with

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The potential of allogeneic

DCs pulsed ex vivo with tumor cell lysates or apoptotic bodies to

stimulate antitumor immunity in patients with B-CLL in early stages was

evaluated. Monocyte-derived DCs were obtained from unrelated healthy

donors. Nine patients (clinical stage 0 and 1 according to Rai) were

vaccinated five times with a mean number of 32 106 stimulated DCs

administered intradermally once every 2-3 weeks. No signs of autoimmunity

were detected, and only mild local skin reactions were noted. During the

treatment period, we observed a decrease of peripheral blood leukocytes

and CD19+/CD5+ leukemic cells. In one patient, a significant increase of

specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes against RHAMM/CD168, a recently

characterized leukemia-associated antigen, could be detected after DC

vaccination. Taken together, the study demonstrated that DC vaccination

in CLL patients is feasible and safe. Immunological and to some extent

hematological responses could be noted, justifying further investigation

on this immunotherapeutical approach.

Keywords:

chronic lymphocytic leukemia, immunotherapy, RHAMM/CD168, dendritic

cells, tumor cell lysate, apoptotic bodies