title: Evaluation of a test system for measuring cytokine production in human whole blood cell cultures.
abstract: A simple and reproducible method is described for the measurement of mitogen-induced cytokine production in cultures of both human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and whole blood. In the culture supernatants the cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined by a rapid and sensitive immunoassay using various monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Comparing the PBMC cultures with the whole blood system a good correlation was obtained if the cell number was taken into account. In the post-induction supernatants the cytokine values were found to follow typical kinetic curves. The protocol was evaluated by screening 60 cancer patients with primary disease and 60 healthy controls. A markedly reduced secretion of IFN-gamma and IL-1 alpha was found in the cancer patients compared to controls, although leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were almost identical in both groups.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunobiology, University of Freiburg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Elsässer-Beile
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Kleist
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gallati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma