Performance of MHC Dextramer™ Reagents
MHC Dextramer™ reagents are used in the study of antigen-specific T cells. High avidity, brightness and excellent resolution make MHC Dextramer™ reagents the superior choice for detection of antigen-specific T-cells in flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.
Flow cytometry
The MHC Dextramer™ reagents come with any of three different flurochromes
(PE, APC or FITC). When using flow cytometry they may be used to accurately
monitor CD8+ T-cell responses in blood, CSF or other fluid cell samples.
Below the benefits of using Dextramer™ reagents compared to conventional MHC multimers are shown.
 Ficoll-purified human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBMC) were stained with Dextramer™, Tetramer and Pentamer according to each product’s recommended procedures. Gating strategy: CD4-, CD14- and CD3+. As may be seen, MHC Dextramer™ reagents provide the highest resolution yet has the lowest background staining. |
 An approximately 10-fold brighter staining of a human T cell clone specific for the HLA-A2 restricted HY derived epitope FIDSYICQV is observed when stained with HLA-A2(FIDSYICQV)/PE Dextramer™ than with HLA-A2(FIDSYICQV)/PE Tetramer. The data was kindly provided by David Lissauer, Karen Piper, Professor Mark Kilby and Professor Paul Moss, Birmingham University, Birmingham, UK |
In situ detection
Due to their high avidity and brightness MHC Dextramers are particularly well suited for in situ detection of antigen-specific T-cells in solid tissue using immunohistochemistry (IHC) as shown below.
Survivin-specific cytotoxic T cells were detected in biopsies of metastatic
lesions from a melanoma patient. Cryopreserved sections were dried, fixed in
acetone, incubated with TRITC-labeled anti-CD8 antibody followed by incubation
with FITC-labeled HLA-A2(survivin) Dextramer™, and finally nuclei counter-stained
with DAPI. A), B) and C) shows stained nuclei, stained CD8+ cells and stained
antigen-specific T cells, respectively. D) is an overlay of A, B and C.
The data was kindly provided by Professor Jürgen Becker,
University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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