Immunopathology related to TERT-based ACT: reduction of blood cells. (A) WBC counts in TRAMP mice treated with ACT. Blood was collected from mice euthanized at the 24th week. Average values and SD are shown for total WBCs, granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes (mTERT n = 27; β-gal n = 22). Wilcoxon rank sum test mTERT vs β-gal: WBC, P < .001; lymphocytes, P < .001; granulocytes, P = .09; monocytes, P = .01. (B) Average values and SD for lymphocytes subpopulations analyzed by FACS are shown (mTERT n = 10; β-gal n = 8). Wilcoxon rank sum test mTERT vs β-gal: CD3⁺, P = .001; CD3⁻CD19⁺, P = .001; CD3⁺CD8⁺, P = .001; CD3⁻DX5⁺, P = .005. (C) IgG and IgM serum levels in the 2 treated groups are shown. (D) mTERT_198-205-specific CTLs recognize normal B cells. CTLs were incubated with autologous LPS-induced blast cells, ConA-induced blast cells, or with CD8⁺ T cells under activating or resting conditions. Data are mean ± SD of 2 independent experiments. Statistically significant differences (analysis of variance, P < .001) between B-cell and T-cell recognition was found at the effector/target cell ratio of 200:1.