Peripheral blood-derived CD14+ monocytes (National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo)

Peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are isolated from buffy coats or heparinized blood obtained from healthy adult donors by Lymphoprep density gradient centrifugation. Cells were washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline and CD14⁺ cells were then positively selected with MicroBeads according to the manufacturer's instructions.