Abstract B014: T-cell Elispot Proficiency Panel 2017/2018: Evaluating routine T-cell Elispot assays

Monitoring antigen-specific T-cell responses is becoming increasingly important in Immunotherapeutic research and development. Thanks to the harmonization efforts by the CIC and CIMT over many years, and the development of better reagents and protocols, MHC multimer and T-cell Elispot assays are now more reliable and accurate assays for monitoring antigen-specific T-cell immunity. Supported by CIMT and CIC, Immudex has conducted a T-cell Elispot proficiency panel Winter 2017/2018 to evaluate assay performance in immune monitoring laboratories routinely doing T-cell Elispot assays. 39 worldwide participants received two cell samples, together representing low, medium and high responses for two predefined peptide pools. A negative control reagent was also included. Participants were asked to use the Direct Human IFNγ Elispot Assay to determine spot count corresponding to each of the predefined peptide pools and the negative control reagent. After performing the Direct Human IFNγ Elispot Assay, the participants report back their results for each cell sample as “number of spots per 200.000 viable cells” for each of the predefined peptide pools and negative control reagent. The data set was analyzed, and each participating laboratory received a report detailing the individual laboratory’s performance (in an anonymized format). The anonymized report was publicly available April 2018, and data will be presented at the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Fourth International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference. Citation Format: Stephen T. Haley, Charlotte Halgreen, Katrine Frederiksen, Rikke Brogaard, Liselotte Brix. T-cell Elispot Proficiency Panel 2017/2018: Evaluating routine T-cell Elispot assays [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B014.