title: Hierarchical clustering of monoclonal antibody reactivity patterns in nonhuman species.
abstract: Monoclonal antibodies (Mab) are an important resource for defining molecular expression and probing molecular function. The characterization of Mab reactivity patterns, however, can be costly and inefficient in nonhuman experimental systems. To develop a computational approach to the pattern analysis of Mab reactivity, we analyzed a panel of 128 Mab recognizing sheep antigens. Quantitative single parameter flow cytometry histograms were obtained from five cell types isolated from normal animals. The resulting 640 histograms were smoothed using a Gaussian kernel over a range of bandwidths. Histogram features were selected by SiZer--an analytic tool that identifies statistically significant features. The extracted histogram features were compared and grouped using hierarchical clustering. The validity of the clustering was indicated by the accurate pairing of externally verified molecular reactivity. We conclude that our computational algorithm is a potentially useful tool for both Mab classification and molecular taxonomy in nonhuman experimental systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunophysiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ravnic
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huss
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rawn
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mentzer
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D002459:Cell Fusion; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal