Ex vivo expansion of autologous, donor-derived NK-, γδT-, and cytokine induced killer (CIK) cells post haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation results in increased antitumor activity

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2019 Aug;54(Suppl 2):727-732. doi: 10.1038/s41409-019-0609-y.

Abstract

Posttransplant treatment strategies are narrowed by the vulnerability of bone marrow. Building on immune cells with antitumor activity is a growing field in cancer therapy. Thus, transfer of expanded and preactivated immune cells is a promising intensification of treatment in high-risk tumor patients. We tested ex vivo expanded NK-, γδT-, and CIK cells that were generated by coincubation with irradiated K562-mb15-41BBL and Il2 and compared the expansion conditions of PBMCs versus CD3-depleted PBMCs as well as static versus semi-automated expansion. The median fold expansion was significantly higher using PBMCs and static expansion conditions. Expanded cells were preactivated with a CD56brightCD69high immunophenotype exerting excellent direct cellular cytotoxicity as well as ADCC in various tumor entities. We established a large-scale clinical-grade ex vivo expansion and activation protocol of NK-, γδT-, and CIK cells from donor-derived PBMCs of patients after haploidentical HSCT. In a patient with AML, NK/γδT/CIK cell transfer was associated with MRD response. A significant increase of direct antitumor activity and ADCC post cell transfer was documented. The results that we report here provide the rationale for clinical testing of expanded, preactivated NK/γδT/CIK cells for cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / immunology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping / methods*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Transplantation Conditioning / methods*
  • Transplantation, Haploidentical / methods*