LTE Compared to Traditional Methods of Predicting Immune Response

The availability ofin vitro culture systems that provide a reliable readout of antigen-induced antibody responses are crucial for understanding the immunobiology of human B cell activation and differentiation. Current methods for the study of recall human Ab responsesin vitro rely, in large part, on techniques that were developed thirty or more years ago, such as 2D PBMC assays. The generation of naïve B cell responses in vitro has been quite challenging; positive results have only been achieved with highly modified culture systems that include the use of exogenous factors during the assay to polyclonally stimulate B cell proliferation and antibody production. The development of novel in vitro assay systems that support the induction of primary human B cell responses in a physiologically relevant manner would provide predictive insight into the biology of this lymphocyte population and could serve as a valuable tool for assessing the immunogenicity of vaccines and other therapeutics prior to animal testing.

LTE Versus 2D PBMC Assays

Performance of the LTE versus 2D PBMC Assays using tetanus vaccines (DTaP) and tetanus toxoid. The LTE leads to superior tetanus-specific IgG responses. Click the thumbnail to view a larger, more detailed version of the chart.