Efficient Expansion of Immature Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Cells in an Ex Vivo Co-culture System

Acute myeloid leukaemia-initiating cells (LICs) comprise immature cells driving leukemogenesis. Viable ex vivo AML culture systems are hampered by poor viability and high differentiation of AML cells. We have designed a mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)/AML co-culture system that enables expansion of primary AML cells including immature AML cell populations for more than two weeks. Both primary AML and PDX samples comprising different karyotypes were tested to expand ex vivo using healthy MSCs as feeder cells in different cell culture conditions. Cell number, viability and the differentiation status of AML cells were assessed by flow cytometry using a nine colour antibody panel. All primary AMLs expanded at high viability (majority >80%) with up to 50-fold or 350-fold expansion of LIC-like populations for up to 14 or 28 days, respectively. Fusion gene expression was maintained for up to 2.5 months. Thus, this co-culture system will provide the basis for functional assessments of different signalling pathways, AML-niche interactions and therapeutic approaches including the use of epigenetic modulators.

Publication History

Article published online:
17 May 2022