Effects of an IL-1 receptor antagonist on acute myeloid leukemia cells

The effect of an interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) on the proliferation of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells was investigated. The antagonist reduced the spontaneous clonogenicity of these cells as well as the clonogenicity of these cells subsequent to exposure to the antagonist. The effects of the IL-1ra on the clonogenicity of leukemia cells was observed even when the antagonist failed to inhibit DNA synthesis by the leukemia cell population as a whole. The data are consistent with the concept that the administration of IL-1ra subsequent to cytotoxic therapy has the potential of slowing the regrowth of leukemia cells thereby potentiating the effects of chemotherapy.