GM-CSF and IFN-gamma-induced expression of human leucocyte antigen class II molecules on basophils of umbilical cord blood.
AIM
To determine whether basophils expressed human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules.


METHODS
Basophils in umbilical cord blood were separated and purified with methods of density gradient centrifugation and immunomagnetic microbeads. The isolated basophils were cultured in RPMI-1640 plus 10 % fetal calf serum at 37 in a humidified atmosphere with 5 % CO2 and stimulated with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or interferon (IFN)-gamma for 20-60 h. The expression of HLA class II molecules on basophils was measured with fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS).


RESULTS
The purity of isolated basophils was > or = 83.5 %. After treated with GM-CSF 10 microg/L or IFN-gamma 100 kU/L, the expression of HLA class II molecules became detectable on membranous surface and at a higher level at 20 h, the percentage of expression was 10.2 %+/-2.1 % and 11.3 %+/-1.0 %, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Basophils possessed the potency of HLA class II molecular expression.