In vitro culture of human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells in serum-free media: Studies of native AML blasts and AML cell lines

The functional characteristics were compared for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells (native blasts and AML cell lines) cultured in three serum-fre e media (X-vivo 10(R), X-vivo 15(R), [BioWhitacker, Walkersville, MD] and S temSpan(TM) [Stem Cel Technologies, Vancouver, BC, Canada]) and in medium c ontaining 10% inactivated fetal calf serum (FCS). For native AML blasts the following functions were compared: (1) autonomous and cytokine-dependent p roliferation; (2) frequency of clonogenic cell; and (3) constitutive cytoki ne secretion, AML blast proliferation differed between patients independent of the culture medium used, and clonogenic cells were maintained after in vitro culture in all media. In contrast, constitutive cytokine secretion wa s higher for cells cultured in StemSpan(TM) and FCS-containing medium than for cells cultured in the X-vivo(R) media. Native AML blasts incubated in S temSpan(TM) also showed a low frequency of apoptotic cells. The three serum -free media could also be used for long-term expansion of well-characterize d AML cell lines, but the optimal medium for cell expansion and cytokine se cretion differed between cell lines. We conclude that standardized serum-fr ee culture conditions can be used for in vitro studies of native AML blasts and AML cell lines.