Research on Biological Characteristics and Cytotoxicity of CIK Cells in Different Culture Systems

Objective To observe the changes in morphology,phenotype,proliferation activity and cytotoxicity of cytokine induced killer(CIK) cells which were cultured in lymphocytic serum-free medium or in general purpose serum-free medium and from healthy people or tumor patients,and then to investigate the efficiency of CIK cells in cancer immunotherapy.Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) were isolated by density gradient centrifugation derived from three healthy subjects and three tumor patients,CIK cells were generated from PBMC in lymphocytic serum-free medium A or B and were incubated in vitro in the presence of IFN-γ followed by OKT3 and IL-2.Proliferation,Morphology,phenotypes,and the cytotoxicity activity were compared.Results The proliferation speed,the percentage of CD3+CD8+ and CD3+CD56+ cells,as well as the cytotoxicity activity of CIK cells originated from peripheral blood of healthy people were significantly higher than those of tumor patients(P0.05) under different culture systems;CIK cells generated from different sources of PBMC also showed significant differences at proliferation speed,phenotypes and cytotoxicity activity when cultured under different systems.Conclusion CIK cells generated from PBMC of tumor patients have significant differences under different culture systems,and provide further experimental basis for improving the clinical curative effect of CIK cells.