I just want to briefly outline in this post the power of antibody microarray when it comes to time and cost saving as well as versatility. Whether you want to do multiple profiling or quantitative studies, if you have access to only limited sample volume, if you work with “rare samples”, if you have access to laser scanner or just to a CCD camera… there is one format suited to your multiplex protein study. The whole experiment is extremely easy to perform but nothing stops you from outsourcing it to experts for the price of an extra ELISA :=). I picked as example for this post the popular inflammation arrays to illustrate the technology and give you some price examples to convince you that it’s not more expensive than an ELISA!
Mutliplex profiling studies on small sample volume: G-Series antibody array on glass slide
Human Inflammation array GS3 : 32 human samples can be profiled on this array for 10 inflammatory cytokines in one single experiment: IFN-gamma, IL-1 alpha (IL-1 F1), IL-1 beta (IL-1 F2), IL-10, IL-13, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 (CXCL8), MCP-1 (CCL2), TNF alpha. Data are expressed as ratio of diseased/treated samples versus controls. You only have 16 samples to look at? Go for the smaller size format ! These G-series can accomodate up to 40 cytokines per array. Working with a combination of arrays allows you to look at up to 1000 human targets.
Multiplex Quantification studies on small sample volume: Quantibody antibody array on glass slide
Human Inflammation Array Q1 : Detects the same inflammatory factors on 16 samples, while measuring cytokine concentrations, in the same way as in an ELISA with a multiplex standard curve. The target list is the same as the above G-serie arrays: IFN-gamma, IL-1 alpha (IL-1 F1), IL-1 beta (IL-1 F2), IL-10, IL-13, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 (CXCL8), MCP-1 (CCL2), TNF alpha.
Both G-Series and Quantibodies are sandwich based technologies with fluorescence detection providing high specificity to the signal. They require access to a standard laser scanner. If you do not have access to it, and if you do not wish to outsource your experiment for the price of an extra ELISA (!), the C-series format may be the best solution for you.
Simple Multiplex Western blot: C-Series array membranes
This format, less suited to high throughput studies, is very convenient for simple multiplex profiling easily performed in a any lab. You just need a CCD camera compatible with array membranes.
Human Inflammation Array C1: Detects 20 Human Inflammatory Factors in 2 samples: Eotaxin-1 (CCL11), Eotaxin-2 (MPIF-2/CCL24), GCSF, GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, IL-1 alpha (IL-1 F1), IL-1 beta (IL-1 F2), IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8 (CXCL8), IL-10, IL-11, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-13, I-309 (TCA-3/CCL1), TIMP-2
This post just illustrated an example. There are many more available antibody array as catalologue products, from 40 to 500 targets in a single array, grouped in specific thematic or combined for broader profiling. Just contact me with your target list of interest and I will find you the best array suited to your need, or I’ll come up with a customized solution. I could also introduce other technologies for higher throughput processing (Multiplex ELISA format), or signalling and phosphorylation profiling tools.
