Flowcytometric analysis of lymphocytes proliferated in vitro by PPD

The present study was undertaken to do phenotype determination of in vitro proliferating lymphocytes by PPD stimulation using combination of monoclonal antibodies and flow-cytometry. The results obtained were as follows: 1) PPD induced a significant proliferation of activated T cell subsets (Leu4+DR+ cells, IL2-R+Leu3+ cells). 2) PPD also induced a significant increase in Pan T cells (Leu4+) and helper T cells (Leu3+8-). Taken together, these results indicated that PPD induced proliferating lymphocytes belong predominantly to helper T cell subset. 3) The numbers of inducer T cells (Leu3+8+), suppressor T cells (Leu2+15+) and cytotoxic T cells (Leu2+15-) were not influenced by PPD-stimulation. 4) However, PPD induced a smaller, but significant proliferation of IL2-R+Leu2+ cells. 5) The number of B cells (Leu4-DR+) tended to increase slightly after PPD-stimulation.