title: Detection of intracellular cytokines by flow cytometry.
abstract: Intracellular cytokine detection by flow cytometry has emerged as the premier technique for studying cytokine production at the single-cell level. Multiparameter flow cytometry permits simultaneous detection of two or more cytokines within a single cell, allowing direct T(H)1 versus T(H)2 determination. This capability, combined with the high throughput inherent in the instrumentation, gives intracellular cytokine staining an enormous advantage over existing single-cell techniques such as ELISPOT, limiting dilution, and T cell cloning. The unit describes intracellular staining of cells that have already been stimulated in vitro and fixed. Methods for in vitro activation by PMA and ionomycin or antigens, fixation of cell suspensions, and cell-surface staining are also described. Because of the greater level of nonspecific binding inherent in fixed, permeabilized cells, greater care must be taken in designing specificity controls. A protocol in which brefeldin A is used to identify cytokine-producing T cells activated in response to in vivo contact with microbial antigens is also described.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Calman
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prussin
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California (brefeldin A protocol).
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California (brefeldin A protocol).
authors.forename: Jason K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Whitmire
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California (brefeldin A protocol).
authors.forename: J Lindsay
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Whitton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D011786:Quality Control; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016207:Cytokines