Standardization of cytokine flow cytometry assays
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Date
2005-06-24
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central Ltd.
Abstract
Background: Cytokine flow cytometry (CFC) or intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) can quantitate antigen-specific T cell responses in settings such as experimental vaccination. Standardization of ICS among laboratories performing vaccine studies would provide a common platform by which to compare the immunogenicity of different vaccine candidates across multiple international organizations conducting clinical trials. As such, a study was carried out among several laboratories involved in HIV clinical trials, to define the inter-lab precision of ICS using various sample types, and using a common protocol for each experiment (see additional files online).
Results: Three sample types (activated, fixed, and frozen whole blood; fresh whole blood; and cryopreserved PBMC) were shipped to various sites, where ICS assays using cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 peptide mix or control antigens were performed in parallel in 96-well plates. For one experiment, antigens and antibody cocktails were lyophilised into 96-well plates to simplify and standardize the assay setup. Results (CD4+cytokine+ cells and CD8+cytokine+ cells) were determined by each site. Raw data were also sent to a central site for batch analysis with a dynamic gating template.
Mean inter-laboratory coefficient of variation (C.V.) ranged from 17–44% depending upon the sample type and analysis method. Cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) yielded lower inter-lab C.V.'s than whole blood. Centralized analysis (using a dynamic gating template) reduced the inter-lab C.V. by 5–20%, depending upon the experiment. The inter-lab C.V. was lowest (18–24%) for samples with a mean of >0.5% IFNγ + T cells, and highest (57–82%) for samples with a mean of <0.1% IFNγ + cells.
Conclusion: ICS assays can be performed by multiple laboratories using a common protocol with good inter-laboratory precision, which improves as the frequency of responding cells increases. Cryopreserved PBMC may yield slightly more consistent results than shipped whole blood. Analysis, particularly gating, is a significant source of variability, and can be reduced by centralized analysis and/or use of a standardized dynamic gating template. Use of pre-aliquoted lyophilized reagents for stimulation and staining can provide further standardization to these assays.
Description
ICS assays can be performed by multiple laboratories using a common protocol with good inter-laboratory precision, which improves as the frequency of responding cells increases.
Keywords
Cytokine flow cytometry, Intracellular cytokine staining
Citation
: Maecker, Holden T., Rinfret, Aline, D'Souza, Patricia, Darden, Janice, Roig, Eva, Landry, Claire, Hayes, Peter, Birungi, Josephine, Anzala, Omu, Garcia, Miguel, Harari, Alexandre, Frank, Ian, Baydo, Ruth, Baker, Megan, Holbrook, Jennifer, Ottinger, Janet, Lamoreaux, Laurie, Epling, C. Lorrie, Sinclair, Elizabeth, Suni, Maria A., Punt, Kara, Calarota, Sandra, El-Bahi, Sophia, Alter, Gailet, Maila, Hazel, Kuta, Ellen, Cox, Josephine, Gray, Clive, Altfeld, Marcus, Nougarede, Nolwenn, Boyer, Jean, Tussey, Lynda, Tobery, Timothy, Bredt, Barry, Roederer, Mario, Koup, Richard, Maino, Vernon C., Weinhold, Kent, Pantaleo, Giuseppe, Gilmour, Jill, Horton, Helen, Sekaly, Rafick P., 2005. Standardization of cytokine flow Cytometry assays.