The effect of storage of blood on mononuclear cell antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity to herpes simplex virus-infected cells

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity to herpes simplex virus-infected cells of fresh mononuclear cells was compared with the ADCC activity of mononuclear cells obtained from blood after 1, 2, and 18 hr of storage at room temperature. After 1 and 2 hr of blood storage, mononuclear cell ADCC activity decrease significantly ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) and was undetectable after 18 hr of storage. The use of preservative-free heparin and various effector to target cell ratios further verified these results. There was no significant difference between natural killer cytotoxicity of mononuclear cells obtained from fresh blood compared with that obtained from blood after 1 and 2 hr of storage. These data demonstrate the importance of rapid assay of clinical specimens utilized to determine differences in ADCC activity of patient populations.