FRET causing misleading signal from fluorescein excited by the violet laser in flow cytometry.

Multiple immunolabeling introduces high risks of interferences between fluorescences. As an example, in analyzing T cell clonality, we recently reported a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect providing an unexpected signal on B770 (PE-Cy7) detector, on the Vß-PE positive CD3 APC-Alexa750+ T cell subsets. Here, we report another FRET effect produced by the violet laser in Vß-FITC positive CD3-Pacific Blue (PB) T cells providing signal on V550 (Krome Orange; KrO) detector. The study was performed on fresh whole blood, labeled with anti-CD3-PB, CD8-KrO, Vbeta FITC, Vbeta PE, CD4 AA750 then fixed, treated for erythrolysis, and washed before analysis on DxFlex cytometer from Beckman Coulter. Data were analyzed using Kaluza software. Using this panel, we repeatedly observed an added CD8dim-KrO (V550) cell population on all Vß FITC positive T cells. The unexpected green signal excited by the violet laser was still observed after removing anti-CD8-KrO (FMO) but disappeared where either anti-CD3-PB or anti-Vß-FITC was removed. The effect was also observed with an anti-TCR gamma delta-FITC labeling, but not with another FITC labeled antibody targeting a protein out of the CD3-TCR complex. The analysis of fluorochrome spectra confirms that PB emission and FITC excitation spectra partly overlap. This observation clearly reminds users that FRET can give misleading results in case of labeling of very close markers with complementary fluorochromes. This risk has to be considered in panel design. These observations clearly highlight the potential for FRET to give misleading results in cases where very close markers are labeled with complementary fluorochromes. This risk must be considered when designing panels. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a FRET between PB and FITC as acceptor thus excited by the violet laser.

Fluorescent energy transfer causing misleading signal in multicolor flow cytometry.

Multiple immunolabeling introduces high risks of interferences between fluorochromes. In an intend to analyze T cell clonality using CD3-APC Alexa750, CD4-Pac Blue, CD8-Krome Orange, CD56-PE-Cy7 and Vbeta clonotypes FITC and PE, we repeatedly observed a clear, unexpected signal on B770 (PE-Cy7) detector on the Vb subset mimicking a lymphoproliferative disorder. The aim of this study was to identify and prevent this source of artifact. The study was performed on a seven color panel performed on fresh whole blood, labeled, fixed, lyzed and analyzed on Navios Cytometer Beckman Coulter. Data were reanalyzed using Kaluza. Eleven tubes tested two clonotypes each with the same T cell backbone. Only one representative combination is presented. Using this panel, we observed repeatedly a strong CD56 PE-Cy7 (B755 LP) on all Vbeta1 T cell subsets but not on Vbeta 2-FITC T cells. The effect was still observed after removing CD56-PE-Cy7 (Full Minus One). Changing anti-CD3 APC-Alexa 750 with CD3APC, the B755 LP signal disappeared but a B695/30 signal appeared. Shifting to CD3-FITC abolished any unexpected red signal. This demonstrates a fluorescent energy transfer (FRET) between PE excited by the blue laser and Alexa750 to be excited by the red laser. Accordingly, the Vbeta PE fluorescence intensity was reduced when FRET happened and clearly increased when CD3-FITC was used instead. This observation clearly reminds that FRET can give misleading results in case of labeling of very close markers with complementary fluorochromes. This risk has to be considered in panel design.