Integrin Antibody Decreases Deformability of Patient-Derived Pre-B Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells as Measured by High-Frequency Acoustic Tweezers

Objectives: This article reports a study of cell mechanics in patient-derived (primary) B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) cells treated with antibodies against integrins. Leukemia cell adhesion to stromal cells mediates chemotherapeutic drug resistance, also known as cell adhesion-mediated chemotherapeutic drug resistance. We have previously shown that antibodies against integrin α₄ and α₆ adhesion molecules can de-adhere ALL cells from stromal cells or counter-receptors. Because drug-resistant cells are more deformable, as evaluated by single-beam acoustic tweezers, we hypothesized that changes in cell mechanics might contribute to the de-adhesive effect of integrin-targeting antibodies.

Methods: In this study, the deformability of primary pre-B ALL cells was evaluated by single-beam acoustic tweezers after treatments with the de-adhering antibody Tysabri or P5G10 against integrin α₄ and α₆ adhesion molecules.

Results: We demonstrated that primary ALL cells treated with P5G10 expressed decreased deformability compared with immunoglobulin G₁ -treated control cells (P < .05). Tysabri did not show an effect on deformability (P > .05).

Conclusions: These results suggest that decreased deformability is associated with an integrin α₆ blockade. Further assessments of the functional roles of deformability and integrin blockades in B-ALL cell drug resistance and deformability, respectively, are necessary.