Figure 7.

IL-2 is sufficient to support the optimal expansion of both CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells in OpTmizer supplemented with CTS Immune Cell SR. PBMC from five CMV-seropositive donors were cultured with autologous PBMC pulsed with a pool of CMV-encoded CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cell peptide epitopes in OpTmizer-SR supplemented with or without 30 ng ml⁻¹ IL-21. On day 3 and every 3 days thereafter, cultures were supplemented with IL-2, and/or IL-7 (10 ng ml⁻¹) and IL-15 (10 ng ml⁻¹). On day 14, cell numbers were determined using trypan blue exclusion, then T-cell specificity was determined using an intracellular IFN-γ assay following recall with the pool of CMV-encoded CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T-cell peptide epitopes. (a) Data represent the mean±s.e.m. of the relative expansion of cells compared with cells cultured in IL-2 alone. (b) Data represent the mean±s.e.m. of frequency of CMV-specific CD8⁺ T cells. (c) Data represent the mean±s.e.m. of frequency of CMV-specific CD4⁺ T cells.