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A comparison of TRECs and flow cytometry for naive T cell quantification
S P Adams1, S Kricke1, E Ralph2
1SIHMDS Haematology, Camelia Botnar Laboratories, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK.
Clinical and Experimental Immunology
|October 5, 2017
Summary
Measuring naive T cells using flow cytometry correlates strongly with T cell receptor excision circle (TRECs) levels. This finding validates flow cytometry panels for assessing thymic function in clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Thymic output, a measure of immune system function, is routinely assessed by quantifying naive T cells in clinical labs.
- Flow cytometry is the predominant method, but molecular analyses like T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) offer an alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of two flow cytometry panels (CD45RA+ CD27+ and CD45RA+ CD31+ T cells) against TRECs levels for naive T cell enumeration.
- To validate these flow cytometry panels for clinical use in assessing thymic function.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 134 patient samples.
- Comparison of TRECs levels with CD45RA+ CD27+ T cells and CD45RA+ CD31+ T cells using flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- Both CD45RA+ CD27+ and CD45RA+ CD31+ T cell panels showed a strong positive correlation with TRECs levels.
- These flow cytometry panels accurately reflect TRECs numbers, indicating thymic output.
Conclusions:
- Flow cytometry panels measuring CD45RA+ CD27+ and CD45RA+ CD31+ T cells are reliable for enumerating naive T cell levels.
- These methods are suitable for routine clinical laboratory assessment of thymic function.
