A Novel Platform for Fast and Cost-Effective Screening of Immunomodulatory Compounds

Compounds with immunomodulatory properties are increasingly recognized as valuable adjunctive therapies in pathological conditions associated with immune dysregulation. However, their discovery process is often costly and time-consuming. The aim of this study is to develop a low-cost, simple-to-perform, and reliable method for screening immunomodulatory agents. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) are used as a model system. PBMNCs are isolated by density gradient centrifugation and treated with different immunostimulators and immunosuppressors. By measuring several analytes with a gas analyzer, it is revealed that changes in lactate levels alone can be used as an indicator of immune cell activation/suppression. This finding is further confirmed by measuring the expression of cell surface activation markers and HIF1α using flow cytometry, glucose concentration in PBMNC cultures using a gas analyzer, and levels of TNF-ά and IL-10 by ELISA. The results presented here reveal the simplicity and reliability of this innovative platform for screening immunomodulatory compounds.