Combination of dasatinib with chemotherapeutic agents enhances elimination of human AML stem cells with NSG mouse repopulating capacity. (A) AML or CB primary MNCs were T-cell–depleted and cultured for 48 hours with dasatinib alone (200 nM), DNR alone (50 nM), Ara-C alone (50 nM), or D200 (dasatinib 200 nM) in combination with DNR and Ara-C and then transplanted via tail vein into sublethally irradiated 6- to 8-week-old NSG mice. After 12 weeks, BM, spleen (SP), and PB cells were analyzed by flow cytometry for expression of human CD45⁺. (B-C) Percentage (B) and absolute number (C) of human CD45⁺ engrafted cells in the BM at 12 weeks. Two different AML patients (AML 12 and AML 40) were used (n = 4 mice for untreated control, dasatinib, DNR, and Ara-C groups; n = 3 mice for the combination of dasatinib and Ara-C; n = 3 mice for the combination of dasatinib and DNR). One-way ANOVA with posttest: ns, nonsignificant; *P < .0392; **P < .0091; ****P < .0008; ****P < .0001. (D) Representative flow cytometry plot of CD45⁺ CD33⁺ cells engrafted in the BM. (E) Percentage (left) or absolute number (right) of human CB CD45⁺ engrafted cells in the BM at 12 weeks (n = 5 mice for untreated control; n = 4 for dasatinib, DNR, and Ara-C groups, combination of dasatinib and Ara-C; and n = 4 for the combination dasatinib and DNR). One-way ANOVA with posttest: ns, nonsignificant.