Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive leukemia for which we developed a nationwide network to collect data from new cases diagnosed in France. In a retrospective, observational study of 86 patients (2000-2013), we described clinical and biological data focusing on morphologies and immunophenotype. We found expression of markers associated with plasmacytoid dendritic cell origin (HLA-DRhigh, CD303+, CD304+, and cTCL1+) plus CD4 and CD56 and frequent expression of isolated markers from the myeloid, B-, and T-lymphoid lineages, whereas specific markers (myeloperoxidase, CD14, cCD3, CD19, and cCD22) were not expressed. Fifty-one percent of cytogenetic abnormalities impact chromosomes 13, 12, 9, and 15. Myelemia was associated with an adverse prognosis. We categorized chemotherapeutic regimens into 5 groups: acute myeloid leukemia (AML)–like, acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL)–like, lymphoma (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [CHOP])–like, high-dose methotrexate with asparaginase (Aspa-MTX) chemotherapies, and not otherwise specified (NOS) treatments. Thirty patients received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), and 4 patients received autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. There was no difference in survival between patients receiving AML-like, ALL-like, or Aspa-MTX regimens; survival was longer in patients who received AML-like, ALL-like, or Aspa-MTX regimens than in those who received CHOP-like regimens or NOS. Eleven patients are in persistent complete remission after allo-HCT with a median survival of 49 months vs 8 for other patients. Our series confirms a high response rate with a lower toxicity profile with the Aspa-MTX regimen, offering the best chance of access to hematopoietic cell transplantation and a possible cure.

ABSTRACTlabile group of amino acids to a diphtheria toxin (DT) payload that has been truncated at its receptor binding region. 20 Since IL-3, the natural ligand for IL-3R, binds with very high specificity and avidity, 21 SL-401 is able to transport DT efficiently and preferentially to cells that overexpress IL-3R, leading to internalization followed by receptor-mediated endocytosis and localization of SL-401 to early endosomes. After cleavage of the SL-401 DT constituent in the acidic medium of endosomes, DT translocates into the cytosol and binds to ADP-ribosylated elongation factor 2, leading to blockade of protein synthesis and cell death. 22 Given the ubiquitous and high expression of IL-3R by BPDCN and the lack of therapies available to treat BPDCN, SL-401 is a potential therapeutic for BPDCN. The present study evaluated the cytotoxicity of SL-401 against patient-derived BPDCN cell lines (CAL-1 and GEN2.2) and primary BPDCN cells isolated directly from 12 patients. The investigations were performed in vitro, as well as in vivo in a murine model of BPDCN. The aim of the study was to provide further support for the use of SL-401 in patients suffering from BPDCN. Methods Patients' cells and cell linesPeripheral blood or bone marrow cells were obtained for diagnostic purposes from 12 BPDCN patients (Table 1) from our national network that collects data and cells from cases diagnosed in France since (authorization number #DC-2008. BPDCN was diagnosed from the results of histopathology and immunostaining of cutaneous lesions, blood or bone marrow. 2,8 Two established cell lines derived from BPDCN patients were used (GEN 2.2, patent #0215927, Dr. Plumas, EFS Rhone-Alpes, Grenoble, France and CAL-1, Dr. Maeda, Nagasaki University, Japan) as well as TF/H-Ras (Prof. Frankel) and CD123 neg (MFI<800) Daudi cell lines (ACC78, DSMZ Braunschweig, Germany) as positive and negative controls, respectively. Other lymphoid and myeloid leukemic cells used to compare sensitivity to SL-401 are described in the Online Supplementary Appendix. Drug and cultureThe SL-401 drug (Stemline Therapeutics, New York, NY, USA) was stored at -80°C and tested at eight concentrations ranging from 365 pM to 0.08 fM (21 ng/mL to 0.4 ng/mL) in order to cover (including myeloperoxidase, CD13, CD33, CD117, CD15, CD65, CD14, CD64); T : T lymphoid markers (including membrane CD3, intracytoplasmic CD3, CD7, CD5, CD2, CD8) Cytotoxicity evaluation by flow cytometryFlow cytometry was performed using a CANTO II cytometer (BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA, USA) and DIVA 6.2 software (BD Biosciences). The cytotoxic effects of SL-401 and the various drugs were evaluated using annexin-V and 7-amino actinomycin D (AV/7AAD) and a panel of different monoclonal antibodies to gate the blastic population described in the Online Supplementary Appendix. In the mouse model, anti-mouse and anti-human CD45 plus anti-human CD123, CD4, CD56, CD304 were used to identify BPDCN human cells (Online Supplementary Appendix). A defined number of calibrated 3-mm latex beads (Flowco...

Minimal residual disease (MRD) has emerged as a major prognostic factor for monitoring patients with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The quantification of MRD by flow cytometry (FC) is based on the identification of a leukemia-associated phenotype (LAP). Because phenotypic switch is common during treatment, multiple LAPs must be available and used for MRD detection over time.We evaluated the potential usefulness of CD304 as a new marker for monitoring MRD. CD304 was expressed in 48% of B-ALL (24/50) with discriminative fluorescence intensity compared with CD304-negative normal B-cell precursors (n ¼ 15). The sensitivity of CD304-based MRD detection reached 10 24 , as with some of established LAPs. The stability of CD304 expression evaluated during therapy and at relapse confirms the usefulness of this marker for MRD quantification. Finally, CD304 was repeatedly expressed in patients with TEL

Azacitidine inhibits DNA methyltransferases, including DNMT1, and is currently the standard of care for patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HRMDS) or low blast count acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The expression of 754 miRNAs was compared in azacitidine-resistant and azacitidine-sensitive myelodysplastic syndrome cells. We investigated the role of differentially expressed miRNAs on DNMT1 expression and azacitidine resistance We next evaluated anti-DNMT1 miRNA expression in pretreatment bone marrow samples derived from 75 patients treated with azacitidine for HRMDS or AML. Seven miRNAs, including 5 that targeted the DNMT1 3' UTR, were repressed in azacitidine-resistant cells in which DNMT1 protein levels were significantly higher. Ectopic anti-DNMT1 miRNA expression decreased DNMT1 expression and increased azacitidine sensitivity, whereas specific inhibition of endogenous anti-DNMT1 miRNAs increased DNMT1 expression and triggered azacitidine resistance. In patients treated with azacitidine, decreased expression of anti-DNMT1 miRNAs was associated with poor outcome. miR-126* had the strongest prognostic impact. Patients with miR-126* myelodysplastic syndrome had significantly lower response rates ( = 0.04) and higher relapse rates ( = 0.03), as well as shorter progression-free (PFS; = 0.004) and overall survival (OS; = 0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that age, miR-126* expression, and revised International Prognostic Scoring System risk independently predicted PFS and OS. In 15 patient samples collected over time, decreased miRNA expression levels were associated with secondary resistance. A decreased expression of anti-DNMT1 miRNAs might account for azacitidine resistance in HRMDS and AML, and measuring miRNA expression before and during treatment might help predict primary or secondary azacitidine resistance. .