[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.