Figure 1. The frequency of IFN-γ producing
cells detected by ELISPOT assay. Fresh PBMCs were cultured with mixed
S-Ag peptides plus anti-CD28 mAb. PBMCs cultured with the medium and
anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAbs, respectively, were used as negative and
positive controls. If the value of IFN-γ SFC was more than 2, then it
was considered a positive well. Upon S-Ag peptides stimulation, 13
active BD patients and three inactive BD patients showed a positive
response and the frequency of S-Ag specific T cells was similar between
the two groups of patients (p>0.05, Student’s t-test). Upon
anti-CD3 stimulation, all the subjects responded positively and the
number of IFN-γ SFC was larger than that stimulated by S-Ag peptides.
The frequencies of IFN-γ producing cells in four groups of PBMCs upon
anti-CD3 stimulation were analyzed by ANOVA. Significant statistical
difference was set at p<0.05 (*) and p<0.01 (#); ns means not
significant while bars represent mean values.