High incidence of acute leukemia in the proximity of some industrial facilities in El Bierzo, northwestern Spain

Anti-Relapse effects of donor natural killer cells and IL-2 gene modification on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemia

BACKGROUND

Patients with acute leukemia (AL) refractory to induction or reinduction chemotherapy show poor prognoses if they do not undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (AHSCT). The present study aims to investigate whether donor natural killer (NK) cells and interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene modification exert anti-relapse effects on AHSCT after establishing a mouse model of AL.

METHODS

C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice were selected as donor mice to obtain NK cells and hematopoietic stem cells, while BALB/c (H-2d) mice were selected as the recipient mice for AHSCT. The AHSCT-treated mice were then injected with the donor NK cells, recombinant adenovirus expressing IL-2 (AdIL-2), or the NK cells infected by AdIL-2. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the cell transplantation rate, immune cell number, and cell immunogenicity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to quantify the secretion of IL-2 in spleen cells, and the level of peripheral blood factors, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-35, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and IL-10.

RESULTS

In our experiments, promotional effects of NK cells and AdIL-2 were found on cell transplantation rate, immune reconstitution ability, cell immunogenicity, IL-2 secretion, as well as increased peripheral blood factor levels in the recipient mice treated with AHSCT, with improved pathological changes observed. Moreover, the aforementioned changes were further promoted in the AHSCT-treated recipient mice injected with the AdIL-2-infected NK cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results uncover that the donor NK cells and IL-2 gene modification could inhibit the relapse of AL mice underwent AHSCT, hereby providing a new target for leukemia treatment.

Biological effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields: Two sides of a coin

Controversial, sensational and often contradictory scientific reports have triggered active debates over the biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in literature and mass media the last few decades. This could lead to confusion and distraction, subsequently hampering the development of a univocal conclusion on the real hazards caused by EMFs on humans. For example, there are lots of publications indicating that EMF can induce apoptosis and DNA strand-breaks in cells. On the other hand, these effects could rather be beneficial, in that they could be effectively harnessed for treatment of various disorders, including cancer. This review discusses and analyzes the results of various in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies on the effects of non-ionizing EMFs on cells and organs, including the consequences of exposure to the low and high frequencies EM spectrum. Emphasis is laid on the analysis of recent data on the role of EMF in the induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage. Additionally, the impact of EMF on the reproductive system has been discussed, as well as the relationship between EM radiation and blood cancer. Apart from adverse effects, the therapeutic potential of EMFs for clinical use in different pathologies is also highlighted.