Multiplex immunofluorescence
Staining one tumour slide for several proteins in different colours, then using software to count immune and cancer cells and measure how close they are.
Overview
Multiplex immunofluorescence extends standard immunohistochemistry to six to eight markers per slide using tyramide signal amplification and multispectral imaging (Akoya Phenoptics), or to dozens with cyclic staining (CODEX/PhenoCycler). Combined with image analysis it quantifies immune-cell composition and spatial arrangement, which large meta-analyses have found to predict response to checkpoint inhibitors better than PD-L1 staining alone.
How it works
Sequential antibody staining with fluorescent tyramide deposition, antibody stripping between rounds, and spectral unmixing to separate channels.
- Uses standard pathology sections
- Captures cell-to-cell proximity
- Better predictor of immunotherapy response than single-marker IHC in pooled studies
- Panel design and validation are laborious
- Inter-laboratory standardisation incomplete
- Not yet a routine clinical test
Latest papers
topQuery for this technology: (TITLE:"Multiplex immunofluorescence" OR ABSTRACT:"Multiplex immunofluorescence") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Multiplex immunofluorescence, not a curated reading list.