Supernatant from PBMC stimulated with UL138 suppresses CD4⁺ T cell proliferation.

<p>PBMC were stimulated with either UL138 or gB peptides for 48(control). PBMC were then stimulated or remained unstimulated (Negative) with anti-CD3/CD28 beads for 5 days and where then stained with anti-CD3 and anti-CD4 antibodies, dead cells excluded by the use of 7-amino-actinomycin D. Cells were gated according to (A) and the proliferation of CD4⁺ T cells was analysed by flow cytometry (B). The same analysis was performed on three individual donors (C). Error bars are standard error of the mean (n = 3). Statistical analysis was performed using the students t test (p<0.01). The same analysis was performed on PBMC from four separate donors and prior to the addition of PBMC supernatants were treated with neutralising anti-IL-10 and/or anti-TGFβ antibodies or isotype control antibodies and proliferation assays performed and analysed as previously (D). Error bars are standard error of the mean (n = 4). Statistical analysis was performed using the students t test (* p<0.05; ** p<0.01).