Cytokine-induced killer(CIK)cells in vitro incubation from patients with chronic hepatitis C and cell subsets analysis

Objective To explore the changes of the immune cell subsets during the process of cytokine-induced killer(CIK)cell incubation from patients with chronic hepatitis C.Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)from patients with chronic hepatitis C were in vitro incubated supplementing with cytokine cocktail(rhIFN-γ, IL-2 andα-CD3).On days at 0,7,10,13 and 15,the incubated cells were collected and flow cytometry was performed to determine the frequencies of immune cell subsets.Results The frequencies of CD3+ cells increased quickly and reached the top values on the 10th day.The frequencies of CD3+CD8+ and CD3+CD56+ cells kept increasing during the cultureing procedure both in the patients with immune tolerant and immune active phase,which appearing strong capacity of proliferation.Conclusion CIK cells from patients with chronic hepatitis C would be suitable for autologous transfusion after in vitro incubation on the 10th day with higher levels of proliferation of CD3+ and high cell proliferation states of CD3+CD8+ and CD3+CD56+ cells.