title: The AutoDiSC: development and validation of a novel chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measurement of cell survival as performed by the differential staining cytotoxicity (DiSC) assay allows for a comprehensive prediction of individual chemotherapy response. This assay has not reached routine clinical application because of its several limitations. In order to improve the DiSC assay, we developed a new type of chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance assay (CSRA) by combining a novel evaluation methodology with automated measurement of cell survival based on flow cytometry, termed AutoDiSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumour cell lines were treated with cytostatic drugs and cultured in 96-well plates for four days at 37 °C. Subsequently, propidium iodide was added and 96-well plates were analyzed using flow cytometry in order to determine the number of living cells in each well. Each component was evaluated for reproducibility and impact on assay read-out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation process allowed for specification of all relevant parameters that determine assay performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AutoDiSC is a new fully-automated CSRA which meets all criteria required for routine clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, LMU, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. t.schinkothe@instim.de
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schinköthe
authors.forename: Dhaksanan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thiruchittampalam
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bomholt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Staib
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001331:Automation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: CSRA; DiSC assay; chemotherapy; pretherapeutic ex vivo testing