Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2025
Isolation and Expansion of Cytotoxic Cytokine-induced Killer T Cells for Cancer Treatment
Published on: January 24, 2020
The effect of serum origin on cytokines induced killer cell expansion and function
Zahra Jabbarpour1, Seyed Sajjad Aghayan1, Kobra Moradzadeh1
1Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati Hospital, North Kargar Ave, Tehran, 14117, Iran.
Background:
Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have shown promising results in adoptive immunotherapy. However, serum may play a determining role in the large-scale expansion of these cells for clinical applications. According to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines to reduce the use of animal products in cell-based therapies; therefore, this study sought to investigate the impact of serum origin and the reduced serum concentration on the pattern of cell expansion and function.
Methods:
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from a healthy donor were expanded based on the CIK cell expansion protocol. The cell culture medium was supplemented with three types of sera comprising fetal bovine serum (FBS), human serum (HS), or human-derived platelet lysate (hPL) at different concentrations (10%, 5%, and 2.5%). The proliferation kinetics for each group were investigated for 30 days of cell culture.
Results:
Cell proliferation in 10% concentration of all sera (hPL, FBS, HS) was higher than their lower concentrations. Moreover, hPL was significantly associated with higher expansion rates than FBS and HS in all three concentrations. Furthermore, cells cultured in hPL showed higher viability, cytotoxicity effect, and CIK CD markers expression.
Conclusion:
hPL at a concentration of 10% showed the best effect on CIK cell proliferation and function.
