Evaluation of antitularaemia immunity via whole human blood leukocyte cytofluorometric analysis

摘要

Tularaemia is followed by development of a long-lasting protective immunity. Peripheral blood leukocytes of vaccinated individuals partially lysed in vitro after exposure to killed Francisella tularensis cells and this leukocytolis reaction is used for evaluation of antitularaemia immunity. Here, results from cytofluorometric characterization of human whole blood leukocyte response following exposure to F. tularensis are reported. Leukocytes were stained in whole blood by acridine orange. The green (nuclear chromatin) and red (lysosomal granules) fluorescent signals from individual cells were measured by flow cytometry to detect the decrease of leukocyte concentration in whole human blood (the leukocytolis intensity) and to calculate the damaged leukocytes with changed chromatin structure and lysosomal granules per cell content. Our data indicate that flow cytometry offers a rapid and more informative technique for evaluation of human antitularaemia immunity in vitro.