Cellular immune responses to autologous chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells in vitro

Using a modification of the autologous mixed lymphocyte/tumour cell culture (MLTC), it is demonstrated here that lymphocytes from chronic-phase myelogenous leukaemia (CML) patients (n = 58), but not from their HLA-identical siblings, proliferated upon coculture with autologous tumour cells. However, in most cases, the level of proliferation measured was low (stimulation index < 3, n = 37). This was most likely related to the amount of interleukin-10 (IL-10) released into the culture medium by the CML cells, because addition of neutralizing anti_IL-10 serum to MLTC markedly enhanced proliferative responses. In addition, supplementation of media with IL-1 alpha further enhanced proliferative responses and a combination of anti-IL-10 serum and IL-1 alpha was more effective than either agent alone. Only HLA-DR-matched CML cells, but not HLA-DR-mismatched CML cells or matched or mismatched PBMC restimulated proliferation of IL-2-dependent T cell lines derived from MTLC supplemented with IL-1 alpha and anti-IL-10 serum. The responding cells under these conditions were predominantly CD4+ and secreted IL-2, and interferon gamma; some secreted IL-4, but none secreted IL-10. These data therefore suggest the existence of an HLA-DR-restricted DTH/Th1-type of tumour-specific immunity in CML patients, which may be down-regulated in vitro by excessive secretion of IL-10 together with depressed secretion of IL-1.