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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot Assay to Assess Varicella-Zoster Virus-specific Cell-mediated Immunity Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
Published on: July 9, 2014
Interferon-gamma release assay: a simple method for detection of varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated
Naruhito Otani1, Koichi Baba, Toshiomi Okuno
1Hyogo College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 1-1, Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. naruhito@fa2.so-net.ne.jp
Abstract:
Herpes zoster is closely related to decreased varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-specific cell-mediated immunity. We validated a new assay for measuring VZV-specific immunity. We cultured the whole blood of healthy subjects with live attenuated VZV vaccine. Cultured supernatants were harvested at 24-h intervals and assayed for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The 48-h culture was suitable for estimating IFN-gamma release. IFN-gamma production was stable after standing for at least 4h at room temperature. IFN-gamma production was observed in whole blood from subjects with recent VZV infection, but not in blood from subjects naïve to the virus. Thus, the IFN-gamma release assay may be useful as a new surrogate assay for measuring VZV-specific immunity.
