title: Interferon-gamma release assay: a simple method for detection of varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity.
abstract: Herpes zoster is closely related to decreased varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-specific cell-mediated immunity. We validated a new assay for measuring VZV-specific immunity. We cultured the whole blood of healthy subjects with live attenuated VZV vaccine. Cultured supernatants were harvested at 24-h intervals and assayed for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The 48-h culture was suitable for estimating IFN-gamma release. IFN-gamma production was stable after standing for at least 4h at room temperature. IFN-gamma production was observed in whole blood from subjects with recent VZV infection, but not in blood from subjects naïve to the virus. Thus, the IFN-gamma release assay may be useful as a new surrogate assay for measuring VZV-specific immunity.
authors.affiliation: Hyogo College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 1-1, Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. naruhito@fa2.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Naruhito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Toshiomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007371:Interferon-gamma