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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

In Ovo Xenografting of Patient-Derived Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Cells (PDX-ALL)
Published on: August 1, 2025
Crocin improves the proliferation and cytotoxic function of T cells in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Kunpeng Zhang1, Lingzhen Wang1, Shaoyong Si1
1Department of Pediatrics Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, China.
Objective:
Immunotherapy is important to improve the survival of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This study aimed to assess the effects of crocin on the proliferation and function of T cells isolated from children with ALL.
Methods:
The mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of children with ALL and then treated with different final concentrations of crocin. The levels of different cytokines secreted by T cells and the ratio of CD4 and CD8 were measured. Tail DNA% (TDNA), Tail moment (TM), Tail length (TL) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were detected to assess DNA damage of T cells.
Results:
Crocin significantly promoted T cell proliferation and the secretion of IL-2 and IL-4 in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, crocin increased CD4/CD8 ratio of T subset. Crocin itself caused no significant damage to T cells but reduced DNA damage in T cells treated with Ara-C.
Conclusions:
Crocin could improve the proliferation and cytotoxic function of T cells, and reduce DNA damage caused by Ara-C.
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