Comparison of different in vitro tests for evaluating immune reactivity

We performed some in vitro tests for the detection of the immune state and compared the results. In particular we studied the production of various cytokines obtained by stimulating peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMC) with different inducers, using optimal and suboptimal doses. This was compared with the results of blastic transformation of lymphocytes, and with the evaluation of the capping effect of macrophages, and of the Multitest Merieux. The correlation between the different investigations was generally good. This permits a simplification of the study of immune reactivity, selecting some of the tests proposed. The use of suboptimal doses of inducers improves the evaluation of very moderate deficits and supplies an in vitro model for the study of immunomodulant drugs.