One instrumental tool to reach this objective is to organize regular international proficiency panels for T-cell assays.
The importance of optimizing staining protocols, data acquisition and data analysis for better assay performance has been highlighted by a series of proficiency panels for MHC multimer staining that were designed and organized by the Immunoguiding Program of the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy CIPP) and the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium CICC) (12– 12).
Moreover, the 2 tests reached a considerable result in an Aspergillus proficiency panel from QCMD intended for use in Aspergillus-specific PCR assays.
Collaborators of the ELISPOT proficiency panel of the CIP: P. thor Straten, T. Kollgaard, Department of Haematology, University Hospital, Centre for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev, Denmark.
In 2005, the CVC-CRI addressed this need by initiating a proficiency panel program for Elispot, followed by programs for ICS and HLA-peptide multimer staining [ 10, 11].
The replicate variation found in this proficiency panel was similar for the three freezing media conditions.
For the proficiency panel testing, MHC-peptide tetramers (Beckman Coulter) and pentamers (Proimmune) specific for both model antigens were provided in sufficient amount to perform 50 stainings per center and had to be applied as 10 μl volume per staining.
Test samples for the proficiency panel (stock solutions) were generated by an independent provider (kindly provided by Dr. von Rheinbaben, Ecolab Deutschland GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany).
Test samples for the proficiency panel (stock solutions) were generated by an independent provider (kindly provided by Dr. F. von Rheinbaben, Ecolab Deutschland GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany).
For the proficiency panel, 5 donors were selected: buffy coat 1 [assigned as donor 1 (D1)] and buffy coats 4 7 [assigned as donors 2 5 (D2–D5), respectively].
