Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2010 Archive > December > IMMCO’s UNYLAB announces the availability of a new test for transplant

IMMCO’s UNYLAB announces the availability of a new test for transplant

Published: 12/13/2010 12:00:00 AM

IMMCO’s UNYLAB announces the availability of a new test for transplant patients, ImmuKnow® Cylex® Immune Cell Function Assay. IMMCO’s UNYLAB is one of a few select labs in New York State validated and approved to conduct this test.

“Measuring absolute levels of immunosuppressive drugs in the blood can often be misleading,” said Dr. Thomas Shanahan, Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services at IMMCO’s UNYLAB. “The Cylex assay monitors immunosuppressive therapy in the post-transplant period, examining the direct effect on the patient’s immune system. This approach enables the most accurate predictions of the serious complications of transplantation such as rejection, infection, and drug toxicity. Dosages can readily be adjusted to ensure optimal outcomes.”
Cylex® T detects cell-mediated immunity (CMI) by measuring the concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from CD4 cells followingstimulation. This measurement is made on heparin anti-coagulated whole blood using a luminometer and luciferin/luciferase. The assay is used for the detection of cell-mediated
immunity in an immunosuppressed population.

The patented Cylex® technology combines cell stimulation, cell selection, and quantification of metabolic markers (e.g., ATP) to measure the global cell-mediated immune response of CD4 cells. Cylex® measures the early response to stimulation by detecting intracellular ATP synthesis in CD4 cells selected from whole blood by monoclonal antibody coated magnetic beads. The amount of ATP present in stimulated whole blood
specimens is a measure of immune cell activity. Because the CD4 lymphocytes orchestrate
CMI responses through immunoregulatory signaling, the measurement of CD4 activation reflects
the degree of immune cell function.

As response to immunosuppressive therapy varies among individuals, assessment of a patient’s immune cell function may provide useful information to the clinician in the course of individual patient management.

Information is available by contacting IMMCO’s UNYLAB directly at 716.566.3977.