The Applicability of a Cluster of Differentiation Monoclonal Antibody Microarray to the Diagnosis of Human Disease

Recent advances in antibody microarray technology have facilitated the development of multiplexed diagnostic platforms. Highly parallel antigen expression data obtained from these arrays allow disease states to be characterized using protein patterns rather than individual protein markers. The development of an antibody microarray platform of general applicability requires careful consideration of the array content. The human cluster of differentiation (CD) antigens constitute a promising candidate set, being united by their common expression at the leukocyte cell surface and the fact that the majority perform critical functions in the human immune response. The diagnostic potential of a microarray, containing 82 cluster of differentiation monoclonal antibodies (DotScan microarrays) has been demonstrated for a variety of infectious and neoplastic disease states, including HIV, many acute and chronic leukemias, and colorectal cancer. It is likely that these microarrays will have more general utility that extends to other pathological categories, including autoimmune, metabolic, and degenerative diseases.