C-KIT EXPRESSION ENHANCES THE LEUKEMOGENIC POTENTIAL OF 32D CELLS

The growth of human leukemic cells in culture and in vivo is dependent upon the presence of hematopoietic growth factors, Most populations o f human leukemic acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cells express c-Kit on their surface and respond to Kit ligand (KL) in culture, To determ ine if this interaction was of potential significance in vivo we used a mouse model system, 32D cells, a murine IL-3-dependent myeloid cell Line, were rendered KL responsive by transfection of the murine c-Kit, After injection of 32D or 32D-Kit cells into syngeneic hosts, animals bearing 32D-Kit cells, but not 32D cells, became moribund and were ki lled, These animals had circulating leukemic blast cells, infiltration of bone marrow, spleen, brain, liver, lung, and kidney, Cells recover ed from some of the animals continued to be dependent upon IL-3 or KL for growth while in other cases the cells were factor independent This model illustrates that the constitutive expression of c-Kit enhances the leukemic potential of 32D cells, The model will be useful for stud ying the progression of leukemia in vivo and testing whether interrupt ion of the interaction of Kit and KL can affect the growth of leukemic cells.