Lab Med Online.  2018 Jan;8(1):15-18. 10.3343/lmo.2018.8.1.15.

Comparison of Interferon-gamma Secretion by Stimulated NK Cells and T cells from Healthy Subjects

• An GD
• Kim KH
• Lim HH
• Kim MC
• Lee SY

• KMID: 2398414
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/lmo.2018.8.1.15

Abstract

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is an important cytokine produced by natural killer (NK) cells and T cells in response to various stimuli. The levels of IFN-γ secreted after stimulation of NK cells using a recombinant cytokine is represented as one of functions of NK cells. Recently, a method for evaluating NK cell activity in whole blood samples was developed. The levels of IFN-γ secreted after NK cell stimulation with PROMOCA™ (ATGen, Korea) and T cell stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) were compared using two different commercial kits: NK Vue Gold (ATGen, Korea) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (Cellestis, Australia). Participants included 43 healthy individuals. Whole blood samples were incubated with either PROMOCA, a recombinant cytokine that specifically activates NK cells, or with PHA. IFN-γ levels in the supernatants were measured by ELISA. The level of IFN-γ by PROMOCA stimulation (PROMOCA IFN-γ) was more varied than that by stimulation with PHA (PHA IFN-γ) (median 1,544.4 pg/mL [ range 193.7-2,530.9] vs. median 2,470.1 pg/mL [ 2,250.1-2,874.4] P=0.0001). The median of PHA IFN-γ/PROMOCA IFN-γ ratio was 1.9 (1.1-12.4). There was a significant difference in levels of IFN-γ secreted after stimulation with PROMOCA or PHA in the healthy population.

Keyword

Natural killer cells; Interferon-gamma; Phytohemagglutinin; ELISA; PROMOCA

MeSH Terms

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Healthy Volunteers*
Interferon-gamma*
Killer Cells, Natural*
Methods
T-Lymphocytes*
Interferon-gamma

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Comparison of levels of IFN-γ secretion between PROMOCA stimulation and PHA stimulation (P =0.0001 by Mann-Whitney test). Horizontal bar indicates 95% confidence interval for the median.

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  Fig. 2. Pearson correlation for levels of IFN-γ secreted after PROMOCA stimulation and PHA stimulation.

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