title: Lymphokine production by peripheral blood leucocytes: quantitation of T-cell growth factor activity for assessment of immune response capability.
abstract: Mitogen stimulation of as few as 200,000 human peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) in 0.2 ml volumes produces highly active lymphokine supernatants. The lymphokine activity measured is T-cell growth factor. Under optimum conditions of PHA-P concentration, serum source and concentration, and time, activity is detectable to a dilution of between 1/250 and 1/700 for lymphokine supernatants from PBL of normal donors. Lymphokine supernatants prepared from PBL of donors previously treated with the immunosuppressive regimes of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy had activities that were between 13% and 66% of normal controls. Lymphokine production as a quantitative measure of immune capability is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines