Leukemic cells express pDC- and NK-related transcripts.

Expression of relevant mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR from pure tumor cells, CD11c⁻ pDCs, NK cells, and mo-DCs. Like normal pDCs, tumor cells expressed high levels of IL-3Rα, pre-Tα, and lambda-like 14.1 mRNA that were absent from NK cells and mo-DCs. In contrast, only weak expression of NK cell–related genes (perforin, granzyme B, FasL) was detected in tumor cells, except for CD56.