Abstract
Impairment of cell mediated immune (CMI) function has been correlated with abnormalities of mononuclear leukocyte energy metabolism. In order to improve the understanding of the metabolic basis of immune function, we have compared glycolytic metabolism of two sub-populations of normal mononuclear cells, T- and non-T cells. Mononuclear cells were isolated from blood by density-gradient centrifugation. Enrichment of T-cells was accomplished by nylon column separation; non-T cells were harvested from the interface of a density gradient after resetting with sheep erythrocytes. Glucose utilization (GU) by non-T cells (206±33 μmoles/1010 cells/hr) was much greater than that by T-cells (23±15) (p<0.001). The addition of PHA to T-cell incubation caused an immediate four-fold stimulation of GU while non-T cells were totally unaffected (92±22 vs 196±20). Lactate production (LP) by enriched T-cells (34±19) was much less than LP by non-T cells (351±35) (p<0.001). The addition of PHA to the incubation stimulated LP by T-cells (104±35) but did not affect LP by non-T cells (316±36). The ATP content of T-cells was identical to that in non-T cells (6.4±2.0) and remained stable during the course of the incubations. The metabolic activity of sub-populations of mononuclear cells is consistent with observations of metabolism in unseparated mononuclear cells. These studies document marked differences in basal and stimulated metabolic activity of mono-nuclear cell sub-populations, and suggest new approaches toward the understanding of the metabolic basis of immune dysfunction.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Storch, S., Klein, W., Das, M. et al. DIFFERENCES IN ENERGY METABOLISM OF MONONUCLEAR CELL SUB-POPULATIONS. Pediatr Res 11, 495 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00750
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00750