停用酪氨酸激酶抑制剂治疗的 CML 患者 NK 细胞标志物的深入表征

In this context, we set up an immunological study by flow cytometry in order to analyze specific NK cell subsets from peripheral blood patient samples both at the time of discontinuation as well as during the subsequent months.

At the time of discontinuation, patients show a mature NK cell phenotype, probably associated to TKI treatment. However, 3 months after discontinuation, significant changes in several NK cell receptors occurred. Patients with a higher proportion of CD56dim NK and PD-1+ NK cells showed better chances of survival. More interestingly, non-relapsing patients also presented a subpopulation of NK cells with features associated with the expansion after cytomegalovirus infection (expression of CD57+NKG2C+), and higher proportion of NKp30 and NKp46 natural cytotoxicity receptors, which resulted in greater degranulation and associated with better survival (p<0.0001). DISCUSSION: This NK cell subset could have a protective role in patients who do not relapse, thus further characterization could be useful for patients in sustained deep molecular response.