A simultaneous assay for T-cells and B-cells using Immunobeads

A comparison was made between a new, commercially available light microscope assay for T- and B-lymphocyte enumeration and existing procedures. The Quantigen assay employs two color-coded Immunobeads; one Immunobead binds to and labels T-cells, while the second labels B-cells. Phagocytic cells contaminating lymphocyte preparations ingest both types of beads. A high degree of correlation was found between this simultaneous assay for T- and B-cells and the E-rosette method for T-cells and FITC-labeling of B-cell surface immunoglobulin. The results of a comparison of the Quantigen assay to flow cytometric analyses are also given. Data on chronic lymphocytic leukemia samples are presented, demonstrating that these cells are double-markers with the Quantigen assay because of the use of monoclonal antibody T101, which recognizes T-cells and B-CLL cells.