W44 - An Automated Approach to High-Content Cytometric Immune Profiling of Human PBMC and Blood Samples

CyTOF® mass cytometry is a single-cell analysis platform using isotope-tagged antibodies to resolve 50-plus markers per panel without signal compensation, making CyTOF ideal for routine high-content immunophenotyping. The Maxpar® Direct™ Immune Profiling Assay™ includes a 30-marker panel in a dry, single-tube format for staining human whole blood or PBMC, designed for use on CyTOF systems. Maxpar Pathsetter™ software automates identification of 37 canonical immune cell populations including reporting of population statistics and stain assessments. This immune profiling system has been shown to provide highly reproducible results run-to-run and site-to-site¹ when using the Helios™ mass cytometer. CyTOF XT™, the latest CyTOF system, differs substantially from Helios in that CyTOF XT features automated sample acquisition while the Helios system requires manual sample resuspension and loading by an operator.

We compared performance of the manual Helios system to that of the automated CyTOF XT by acquiring the same human whole blood or PBMC samples stained with various panels requiring different workflows and data analysis approaches. These included the Maxpar Direct Immune Profiling Assay, which contains only markers for cell surface epitopes as well as protocols that include cytoplasmic, nuclear and phosphoprotein staining.

Overall, these studies demonstrated no significant difference in population frequencies analyzed by the two systems. On average, samples acquired on CyTOF XT had better resolution between positive and negative populations compared to Helios.

1. Bagwell, C.B. et al. Cytometry Part B Clinical Cytometry 98 (2020): 146–160.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.