RAPID COMMUNICATION Dendritic Cells Derived In Vitro From Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells Stimulate Autologous, Antileukemic T-Cell Responses

We have previously reported that leukemic dendritic cells (DC) can be generated ex vivo from myelomonocytic precur-sors in chronic myelogenous leukemia. In this study we report the generation of DC from acute myelogenous leuke-mia (AML) cells and their potent ability to stimulate leukemia-specific cytolytic activity in autologous lymphocytes. DC were generated in vitro using granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1interleukin-4 in combination with either tumor necrosis factor-a or CD40 ligand (CD40L). Cells from 19 AML patients with a variety of chromosomal abnor-malities were studied for their ability to generate DC. In all but 1 case, cells with the morphology, phenotypic character-istics, and T-cell stimulatory properties of DC could be generated. These cells expressed high levels of major histo-compatibility complex class I and class II antigens as well a