LabKey Server NAb: a tool for analyzing, visualizing and sharing results from neutralizing antibody assays

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Virus-specific neutralizing antibodies are crucial for vaccine development and disease control.
• Current methods for analyzing neutralizing antibody assays, like the TZM-bl assay for HIV-1, often rely on outdated Excel macros, leading to inconsistencies and data management challenges.
• Lack of standardized tools hinders reproducibility and data sharing across research laboratories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce LabKey Server's NAb tool as a standardized solution for organizing, analyzing, and securely sharing data from neutralizing antibody assays.
• To provide a customizable, high-throughput platform that addresses the limitations of previous analysis methods.
• To improve the reliability and comparability of results across multi-laboratory research efforts.

Main Methods:

• Development of LabKey Server's NAb tool, featuring a graphical plate template designer for adaptable calculations.
• Implementation of automated calculation of percent neutralization and fitting of neutralization curves to estimate antibody titers.
• Secure, web-based storage and sharing of raw data, results, and curve visualizations within a database.
• Integration capabilities with other data sources using sample identifiers.

Main Results:

• The NAb tool successfully organizes, analyzes, and securely shares data for neutralizing antibody assays, including the TZM-bl assay.
• Customizable features support high-throughput experiments and allow adaptation to new experimental designs.
• Results, visualizations, and raw data are centrally stored and accessible via a secure web interface, facilitating data sharing and public access post-publication.

Conclusions:

• Standardized analysis and data sharing tools are essential for enhancing the reproducibility, comparability, and reliability of results in multi-laboratory settings.
• LabKey Server and its NAb tool are freely available as open-source software, promoting wider adoption.
• The Atlas Science Portal provides accessible use of the NAb tool for the HIV research community without requiring software installation.