Automated, Point-of-Care mobile flow cytometry: Bringing the laboratory to the sample
B.N. Jukema,
T.C. Pelgrim,
M. Spoelder,
C.C.W.G. Bongers,
M.T.E. Hopman,
K. Smit,
M.H. Rijk,
R.P. Venekamp,
N. Vrisekoop,
L. Koenderman
Affiliations
B.N. Jukema
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Corresponding author. Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
T.C. Pelgrim
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
M. Spoelder
Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
C.C.W.G. Bongers
Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
M.T.E. Hopman
Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
K. Smit
Department of General Practice and Nursing Science, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
M.H. Rijk
Department of General Practice and Nursing Science, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
R.P. Venekamp
Department of General Practice and Nursing Science, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
N. Vrisekoop
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
L. Koenderman
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
Background: Innate effector cells are very responsive to infectious and inflammatory cues found in damaged and inflamed tissues. Their activation is a potential target to assess the state of the immune system. Unfortunately, these cells are very susceptible for ex-vivo activation, hampering accurate interpretation of flow cytometry data. Whether a brief window exists before ex-vivo activation starts to occur is currently unknown. Aims: 1) This study extensively investigated ex-vivo activation of innate effector cells over time. 2) We tested the feasibility of applying a mobile, automated, flow cytometry laboratory for out-of-hospital Point-of-Care analyses to minimize ex-vivo activation bias. Methods: 1) Ex-vivo neutrophil, eosinophil and monocyte activation in a blood collection tube over time and the reactivity to a formyl-peptide was investigated in a healthy cohort. 2) To facilitate fast, out-of-hospital analysis, application of the mobile flow cytometry was tested by placing an automated flow cytometer into a van. The stability of the setup was assessed by repetitively measuring laser alignment and fluorescence verification beads. Findings: 1) Immediately after venipuncture activation marker expression on neutrophils, eosinophils and monocyte subsets started to change in a time-dependent manner. 2) The mobile flow cytometry laboratory travelled over 3000 km, performing measurements at 19 locations with a median single-person-set-up time of 14 min. The laser alignment and fluorescence were stable during all experiments. Conclusions: Accurate flow data of innate immune cells are only obtained when ex-vivo activation is kept to minimum. The use of a mobile, fast, automated, flow cytometry laboratory for out-of-hospital Point-of-Care analyses provides new investigational and diagnostic possibilities outside major hospital flow cytometry laboratories.
