Identification and isolation of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsIrving L. Weissman, Naoki Hosen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia stem cells (AMLSC) are identified. The cells can be prospectively isolated or identified from patient samples, and are shown to possess the unique properties of cancer stem cells in functional assays for cancer stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, and in cancer diagnosis.
Claims15
A method for characterizing an acute myeloid leukemia from a patient, the method comprising:
- contacting a patient sample with reagents specific for CD96;
- quantitating the number of CD96+ cancer cells,
- wherein the presence of CD96+ cancer cells is indicative of the presence of AML cancer stem cells.
A composition of mammalian acute myeloid leukemia stem cells, wherein at least 50% of the cells in said composition are CD96+, CD34+, CD38− acute myeloid leukemia stem cells (AMLSC).
A method of targeting or depleting AML cancer stem cells, the method comprising contacting reagent blood cells with an agent that specifically binds CD96 in order to target or deplete CD96+ AMLSC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.