The MTT-assay as a rapid test for cell proliferation and cell killing: application to human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL).

Abstract

The possibility to use the colorimetric MTT assay for measuring proliferation and cell death of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was studied. In a range from 100,000-800,000 cells/well a linear correlation between the optical signal (OD signal at 570 nm) and the cell number was found. It is necessary to incubate the cells with the MTT at least 2 hours. After stimulation by different PHA concentrations a very good correlation between [3H] thymidine incorporation and MTT assay was found. A comparison of daunomycin cytotoxicity, measurement by trypan blue exclusion and MTT assay, gave also a good correlation between both methods. It can be pronounced that the MTT assay is a suitable method to measure cell proliferation and cell death of human PBL. The assay is easy to handle, a large number of probes can be assayed in a relatively short time and no radioactivity is necessary. For the measurement of the colored product a common ELISA reader can be used.