Donor-specific NK cells exert potent cytolytic effector functions against patient-specific leukemic blasts in an IL-7 and IL-15 supplemented humanized NOD/SCID/IL2Rnull mouse model

Surrogate models have so far been missing that might allow the evaluation of graft-versus-leukemia effects in an individualized donor-patient-specific context. We here describe the generation of a NOD/SCID/IL2Rnull (NSG) leukemia mouse model that ideally resembles the biology of miscellaneous patient-specific leukemias. Following transfer of patient-derived blasts into NSG mice, various forms of pediatric haematological malignancies readily engrafted NSG recipients and NSG-derived leukemic cells indeed resembled the individual leukemia with respect to phenotype, chromosomal aberrations, transcriptome and MRD marker expression.

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