Effects of storage conditions of human whole blood on the viability of lymphocytes

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the optimal storage conditions of human whole blood to retain viability of lymphocytes.

Material and methods: Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated and unstimulated human whole blood samples were stored for 48–96 h up to one week at 4°C, 20°C and 37°C and were analysed for apoptosis. After 96 h and one week of storage unstimulated cultures were stimulated to proliferate. These cultures and samples stimulated immediately before storing were incubated at 37°C for 56 h and analysed for mitotic index (MI).

Results: Lymphocytes undergo apoptosis during storage and this loss of viability is accelerated by increasing both temperature and storage time. In the presence of PHA, incubation at both 4°C and 20°C for 48 h resulted in low percentages of apoptotic cells and after incubation at 4°C for 96 h the cultures grown for 56 h at 37°C revealed the highest percentage of MI.

Conclusions: The storage conditions affect lymphocytes in terms of both cell viability and proliferation. Storage at 4°C for 96 h in presence of PHA was found optimal.

Keywords:

• Lymphocytes
• apoptosis
• biomonitoring