Natural killer cell lines and methods of use

Abstract

This invention relates to a natural killer cell line termed NK-92. The invention provides a vector for transfecting a mammalian cell which includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cytokine that promotes the growth of NK-92. Additionally, the invention provides an NK-92 cell, or an NK-92 cell modified by transfection with a vector conferring advantageous properties, which is unable to proliferate and which preserves effective cytotoxic activity. The invention further provides a modified NK-92 cell that is transfected with a vector encoding a cytokine that promotes the growth of NK-92 cells. The cell secretes the cytokine upon being cultured under conditions that promote cytokine secretion, and furthermore secretes the cytokine in vivo upon being introduced into a mammal. In a significant embodiment, the cytokine is interleukin 2. The present invention also provides methods of purging cancer cells from a biological sample, of treating a cancer ex vivo in a mammal, and of treating a cancer in vivo in a mammal employing a natural killer cell, such as NK-92 itself, an NK-92 cell which is unable to proliferate and which preserves effective cytotoxic activity, or natural killer cells transfected with a vector encoding a cytokine.

30 . A modified NK-92 cell, wherein the cell secretes a cytokine. 
     
     
         31 . The cell of  claim 30 , wherein the cytokine is interleukin-2. 
     
     
         32 . The cell of  claim 30 , wherein the cell comprises a transfected polynucleotide encoding interleukin-2. 
     
     
         33 . The cell of  claim 32 , where in the transfected polynucleotide comprises MFG-hIL or pCEP4-LTRhIL-2 polynucleotide. 
     
     
         34 . The cell of  claim 33 , wherein the cell is ATCC CRL-2408 or ATCC CRL-2409. 
     
     
         35 . A method of making the cell of  claim 30 , comprising physically treating a NK-92 cell to secrete a cytokine. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the physically treating a NK-92 cell is transfecting a polynucleotide encoding interleukin-2 into the cell. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the transfected polynucleotide comprises a MFG-hIL or pCEP4-LTRhIL-2 polynucleotide.