Fig. 2

The percentage and number of CD3⁺CD8⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3-negative cells during the induction of effector CTL by MLR. PBMCs were cultured with stimulation of irradiated allogenic PBMCs under exposure to asbestos with or without addition of IL-15. The percentage of CD3⁺CD8⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3-negative cells in harvested PBMCs was measured by FCM (a, c, and e), and the cell number of those per 10 well was calculated and shown as the ratio to the value of control group which stimulated allogenically but not exposed to asbestos or supplemented with IL-15 (b, d, and f). Data are obtained from three independent experiments and are shown as the mean + SD. Significant differences are marked with asterisks (^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01). No significant difference is indicated by N.S.. The control group is represented by (+), the group cultured with allogenic PBMCs under exposure to CB is represented by (+)/CB, and the group cultured with allogenic PBMCs under CB exposure with IL-15 is represented by (+)/CB/IL-15