MCM is more effective than a combination of cytokines in inducing dendritic cell maturation. T cell–depleted blood mononuclear cells (ER⁻ cells) were cultured for 7 days in GM-CSF/IL-4. They were washed twice, transferred to fresh 6-well plates, and cultured in MCM (•), a combination of cytokines (▵), or no additional supplementation (−MCM, □). On day 11 of culture, (A) and (B), the cells were evaluated for T cell–stimulatory activity in an allogenic MLR. In (C) and (D), dendritic cells were washed twice and returned to culture for 1 (C) or 3 (D) more days in RPMI supplemented with 1% autologous human plasma. (A) and (B), cytokines were IL-1 (20 ng/mL), IL-6 (20 ng/mL), IFN-α (0.02 ng/mL), and TNF-α (20 ng/mL). In (C) and (D), the cocktail of cytokines mimicked the concentrations measured by ELISA in the corresponding MCM. (C) IL-1 (92 ng/mL), IL-6 (1 μg/mL), IFN-α (0.02 ng/mL) and TNF-α (182 ng/mL); (D) IL-1 (20 ng/mL), IL-6 (734 ng/mL), IFN-α (0.08 ng/mL), and TNF-α (24 ng/mL). The values represent the averages of triplicates ± SD.