Eight color flow cytometry test development for primary imunodeficiency patients

Primary immunodeficiencies represent a heterogeneous group of hereditary immune system malfunctions with very variable causes and symptoms. Multiparametric flow cytometry has become an important tool in primary immunodeficiency diagnostics and research because it provides detailed information on the phenotype of individual immune cells and their proportions in circulation. We have developed a complex monoclonal antibody panel composed of five eight-color tubes which is designed for immunophenotyping of basic lymphocyte subsets and further analysis of B and T cell subpopulations. We have optimized and standardized the panels so they will identify any changes originating from primary immunodeficiencies and provide comparable data on the level of cooperation between more laboratories. This was achieved by cooperation of six European research facilities which are all parts of the Euroflow consortium. The panels have been validated both on peripheral blood samples from healthy donors and patients with either gentically defined primary immunodeficiency or common variable immunodeficiency. Keywords: T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte, primary immunodeficiency, flow cytometry, immunophenotyping, Euroflow, optimization, standardizatio