An improved flow cytometric immunobead array to detect autoantibodies in plasma from patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: Autoantibodies against platelet glycoproteins (GPs) play an important role in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). This study was to develop an improved flow cytometric immunobead array (FCIA) assay to detect platelet autoantibodies in ITP patient plasma.

Methods: Plasma samples were isolated from 71 ITP patients and 136 non-ITP controls and incubated with platelets from normal individuals. After washing, platelets were lysed and the platelet lysates were incubated with polystyrene microbeads coupled with monoclonal antibodies against human GPs IX (SZ1), Ib (SZ2), IIIa (SZ21), IIb (SZ22), and P-selectin (SZ51). Platelet GP-autoantibody complexes were detected by flow cytometry using a FITC-labeled secondary antibody.

Result: Autoantibodies against platelet GPIb, GPIIb, GPIIIa, GPIX and P-selectin were detected in plasma from ITP patients, as indicated by high mean fluorescent intensity values when microbeads with antibodies SZ1, SZ2, SZ21, SZ22, and SZ51 were used. In ROC analysis, values of the area under the curve were 0.74, 0.83, 0.80, 0.79 and 0.87, respectively. Compared with the previously reported assays, this new FCIA eliminated the need of isolating platelets from ITP patients without compromising assay sensitivity and accuracy in predicting ITP.

Conclusion: This simplified FICA assay may be more suitable for ITP diagnosis in clinical laboratory settings.