Depletion of Human NK and CD8 Cells prior to In Vitro H1N1 Flu Vaccine Stimulation Increases the Number of Gamma Interferon-Secreting Cells Compared to the Initial Undepleted Population in an ELISPOT Assay

In order to study the respective roles of CD4, CD8, and CD56 (NK) cells in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production after in vitro stimulation with flu vaccine in a healthy adult human population, we depleted these cellular subtypes before stimulation with antigen (inactivated split vaccine, A/Texas H1N1, or A/Sydney H3N2). We observed that while CD4 cells were required for IFN-γ secretion in both conditions in vitro, CD56 (NK) cells and, to a lesser extent, CD8 cells had a negative effect on such synthesis upon H1N1 stimulation, as judged by an increased number of spots compared to the initial undepleted population. This regulation of IFN-γ secretion was associated with an increase in ICAM-1 expression, in particular on T and B cells. This study points out the importance of evaluating in vitro immune responses on a whole-cell population in addition to isolated subtypes if one needs to address potential cellular interactions occurring in vivo in some situations (H1N1 stimulation in the present case). Such cross-regulations occur even in vitro during the antigenic stimulation step.