Model experiments for immunomagnetic elimination of leukemic cells from human bone marrow. Presentation of a novel magnetic separation system.

Optimal conditions for removing leukemic cells from human bone marrow with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and magnetic immunobeads were investigated. Monodisperse 3 microns polystyrene microspheres containing magnetite were coated with affinity-purified rabbit antimouse IgG at 4 degrees C, pH 9.6 for 18 h. SKW-3 cells (T-CLL cell line) were marked with the supravital DNA stain Hoechst 33342, seeded into normal human bone marrow, and then incubated with the mAb CD1, CD6, and CD8 at 4 degrees C for 30 min. In preliminary experiments REH cells (cALL cells) and mouse anti-REH cell antibodies were used to find the most favorable conditions for the binding of magnetic beads to tumor cells. Optimal formation of cell-bead rosettes was achieved by rotating beads and tumor cells together at room temperature at a concentration of 1 x 10(7) cells/ml, a bead: tumor cell ratio of 100:1 and an incubation time of one hour. The novel magnetic separation apparatus consists of three polystyrene chambers connected by silicone rubber tubing. The chambers contain four steel inserts each equipped with 32 nickel wires, which are magnetized by permanent magnets in such a way that the inhomogeneous high gradient magnetic field could be established within the cell suspension containing the cells to be depleted. The fluid flow was established by a peristaltic pump. At a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min and a field strength of 160 kA/m, no beads could be detected in the purged marrow. A cocktail of the three mAb was more effective than any single antibody in forming bead-cell rosettes. Two sequential purging cycles were superior to one. The marrow recovered was highly viable as assessed by trypan blue dye exclusion and by growth of CFU-GM.