Simple Plex(™): A Novel Multi‐Analyte, Automated Microfluidic Immunoassay Platform for the Detection of Human and Mouse Cytokines and Chemokines

PROBLEM: Quantitative measurement of proteins in bodily fluids or cellular preparations is critical for the evaluation of biomarkers or the study of complex cellular processes. While immunoassays are the most common quantitative approach used so far, they are not practical for the evaluation of multiple proteins. Microfluidic technology allows a fine spatial control in immobilizing proteins and biomolecules inside microchannels, eliminating cross‐reactivity between competing analytes, and allowing rapid and sensitive detection of targeted antigens for multiple applications. We report the characterization and validation of the Simple Plex(™) platform for the detection and quantification of cytokines and chemokines from human and mouse samples. METHOD: Cytokine and chemokine expression levels were determined using Simple Plex cartridges from ProteinSimple. Serum samples were obtained from the Yale Biorepository. RESULTS: Our data demonstrate an excellent correlation between the results obtained with Simple Plex and conventional immunoassays such as ELISA and Luminex. CONCLUSION: We describe the characterization and validation of Simple Plex, a novel multi‐analyte, automated microfluidic platform that allows the evaluation of cytokines and chemokines from human and mice biological samples. Simple Plex showed significant advantages over traditional approaches in terms of low sample volume requirements, sensitivity and dynamic range, coefficient of variation, and reproducibility.