Monoclonal antibody 55 (CD10) and complement used for purging autologous bone marrow in common acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A CD10 monoclonal antibody 55 (McAb55) was intended for purging residual common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA) positive leukemic cells from autotransplants of common acute lymphoblastic leukemia (C-ALL) patients. It was found that after two rounds of McAb55 and complement treatment, 4-5 logs of CALLA+ cells were removed from bone marrow detected by clonogenic assay. The standardization of separation, purgation and preservation of bone marrow for C-ALL patients' autotransplants was then set as follows: Following the carboxymethyl starch sedimentation and Ficoll-Hypaque gradient separation, the isolated mononuclear cells (MNCs) were treated with McAb55 and complement twice and kept in room temperature for 48-72 hours prior to infusion. This procedure resulted in the removal of more than 99% of CALLA+ cells, recovery of 10-30% MNCs, and leaving the hematopoiesis stem cells intact. After the intensive cytoreductive therapy, 4 patients with C-ALL received the purged autotransplants giving timely recovery of the hematopoietic function. The patients were all remaining in remission status for more than 40-250 days so far.