Figure 2. Soluble factors from PBMCs are involved in the expansion of NKG2C⁺ NK cells in response to HCMV-infected fibroblasts.

(A) Transwell plates were used with purified NK cells on infected fibroblasts in the lower and autologous PBMCs in the upper chamber. (B) PBMCs or purified NK cells were cultured alone or with uninfected or AD169-infected MRC-5 fibroblasts. Transwell plates were used when indicated. At the end of the coculture, cells were stained for NKp46, NKG2C, and CD3 and analyzed by flow cytometry. Dot plots were gated on live CD3^– cells. Numbers indicate the percentage of NKG2C⁺ cells among all NKp46⁺ cells (1 representative donor out of 3 is shown). (C) Summary of 3 independent experiments. Depicted are the absolute numbers of NKG2C⁺NKp46⁺ cells per well at the end of the coculture. Paired t test, P = 0.048, n = 3. Error bars indicate ± SEM.