Figure 6. Percentage of CD16⁺, CD57⁺, CD158⁺ and CD62L⁺ NK cells before and after stimulation with IL-2 or IL-15.

A) Percentage of CD16⁺, CD57⁺ and CD158⁺ cells before (−) and after stimulation of PBMCs with IL-2 or IL-15 (+) in total NK cells (CD3⁻CD56⁺ cells, upper line of graphs) and in CD56^dim NK cells (lower lane of graphs) from healthy normal donors (blue) and from the patient (red). B) Percentage of CD57⁺CD158⁺ cells before (−) and after stimulation of PBMCs with IL-2 or IL-15 (+) in total NK cells (CD3⁻CD56⁺ cells) and in CD56^dim NK cells from the same samples. Blue: NK cells from healthy donors; red: NK cells from the patient; green: CD3⁻CD56^dim NK cells from the patient. C) Percentage of CD62L⁺ cells before (−) and after stimulation of PBMCs with IL-2 (+) in CD3⁻CD56^dim cells and in CD3⁻CD56^bright cells from the same samples. Blue: CD3⁻CD56⁺ cells from healthy donors; red: CD3⁻CD56⁺ cells from the patient; green: CD3⁻CD56^dim cells from the patient. D) Percentage of CD62L⁺ cells before (0) and after 3 to 5 days of stimulation of PBMCs with IL-2 (left graph) or IL-15 (right graph) in CD3⁻CD56^dim and CD3⁻CD56^bright NK cells from healthy donors and from the patient. Black: CD3⁻CD56^dim cells from healthy donors; green: CD3⁻CD56^dim cells from the patient; blue: CD3⁻CD56^bright cells from healthy donors; red: CD3⁻CD56^bright cells from the patient. Six healthy donors samples were used for analysis of CD16 and CD57; two healthy donor samples were used for analysis of CD158, CD57 and CD62L expression. One representative experiment from 3 independent analyses is shown. PBMCs from blood samples obtained in December 2007 were used.