Media evaluation for production and expansion of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells.

Background: The use of CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to treat B-cell malignancies has proven beneficial. Several groups use serum to produce CD19 CAR T cells. Today, ready-to-use serum-free media that require no addition of serum are commercially available.

Differential activation of cord blood and peripheral blood natural killer cells by cytokines.

Background Aims: Natural killer (NK) cells play important roles in the clearance of infection and transformed cells. Cord blood (CB) is currently used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation and is a potential source of NK cells for immunotherapy. We previously showed that CB NK cells are immature and less cytotoxic as compared with peripheral blood (PB) NK cells.

Differential effects of mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine A on peripheral blood and cord blood natural killer cells activated with interleukin-2.

Background Aims: Graft-versus-host disease remains a major cause of death after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cyclosporine (CsA) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) have been successfully used alone or in combination as prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease. Although the effects of these drugs on T cells have been studied, little is known about the effects of both drugs on natural killer (NK) cells.

The unique profile of cord blood natural killer cells balances incomplete maturation and effective killing function upon activation.

Cord blood (CB) is increasingly used as a source of stem cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and natural killer (NK) cells may be the effectors of the antileukemic response observed after CB transplantation. Here, we analyzed the phenotype and functions of CB NK cell subsets. We determined that the percentage of NK cells was higher in CB compared with peripheral blood (PB).