Endpoint assays for the characterization of rare and therapy-resistant cells in cancer

DATE:  February 09, 2021

TIME:  08:00am PST

Flow cytometry immunophenotyping has become one of the mainstream applications for classification of several hematologic neoplasms. This technology is indispensable for detection of leukemic blasts at a single cell level, clonal lineage assignment, identification of aberrant expression of antigens, and detection of abnormal rare populations of blasts from normal progenitors, with extreme importance in tailoring decision-making. Moreover, functional flow cytometry testing can effectively provide new insights for research and evaluation of disease, and a more complete understanding of the complexities and challenges in the analysis of leukemic stem cells. In this webinar we will discuss simpler, faster and more affordable methods minimizing the effect of sample preparation on the sample biology. White blood cells in peripheral whole blood, among the most commonly analyzed cells in flow cytometry, are fundamentally rare in their native sample matrix, where red blood cells outnumber white cells by up to three orders of magnitude and platelets by nearly two orders. The challenges this rarity creates for no lyse no wash assays are the primary reason this technique does not enjoy wider use. Specifically, we will discuss how to detect candidate malignant primitive progenitor populations, using the alkaline phosphatase stem cell detection method in combination with flow cytometry immunophenotyping. Over a period of five years, we have been using this technique to study its activity in patients with leukemia and lymphoma, showing that changes in the alkaline phosphatase levels can be used to detect rare populations of highly refractory malignant cells. By screening different blood cancers, we have observed that this activity is not always restricted to CD34+ leukemic cells and can be overexpressed in CD34 negative leukemia. Moreover, we will discuss how to use these methods minimizing the effect of sample preparation on the PD-L1 expression at the single cell level in myeloid derived suppressor cells using a stimulatory functional assay to evaluate immunotherapy strategies in human cancer.

Learning Objectives:

• Provide a short introduction and discuss the methods needed for minimal sample perturbation, cell damage and the number of variables affecting the cancer cell biology.

• Discuss flow cytometric significance of cellular alkaline phosphatase activity in acute myeloid leukemia

• PD-L1 expression at the single cell level in Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells using a stimulatory functional assay to evaluate immunotherapy strategies

Webinars will be available for unlimited on-demand viewing after live event.
 
LabRoots is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. ® Program. By attending this webinar, you can earn 1 Continuing Education credit once you have viewed the webinar in its entirety.