title: Gender effect on in vitro lymphocyte subset levels of healthy individuals.
abstract: Differences in gender immune response have resulted in differences in immune protection and susceptibility to inflammatory diseases. Cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are widely used in immunomodulation studies, yet the influence of gender is usually not considered. We examined the effect of in vitro culture and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation on PBMC lymphocyte subsets using flowcytometry. Full blood counts of whole blood showed higher levels of lymphocyte in male subjects. Lymphocyte subsets enumeration revealed higher NK cell counts in males and higher B cells in females. Cultured PBMC resulted in significant increases in B and total T cell percentages among females and NK cells among males. PHA stimulated significantly increased percentages of NK and total T cells in males and total activated T cells (CD69+) in females. Our results showed significant gender differences in lymphocyte subsets in cultured conditions. This may affect experimental outcome.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. maha@medic.upm.edu.my
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Pei-Shin
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Mun-Yee
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Eusni Rahayu Mohd
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Tohit
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramasamy
authors.forename: Chong Pei
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Sharmili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vidyadaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins