APPRAISAL OF RABIES VACCINE POTENCY BY DETERMINATION OF INVITRO, SPECIFIC INTERLEUKIN-2 PRODUCTION

The potency of different rabies vaccines was measured via cell mediated immunity (CMI) assessed by the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by CD4+CD8- lymphocytes. IL-2 production by splenocytes from mice immunized with various vaccines was measured following in vitro stimulation with antigens from different rabies and rabies-related strains. IL-2 production was specilic, reproducible and correlated with the vaccine protective activity as determined by the pre-exposure NIH test. Our results suggest that measurement of IL-2 production could be used for the appraisal of rabies vaccine potency. © 1991.