Development of a suspension array assay in multiplex for the simultaneous measurement of serum levels of four eosinophil granule proteins

• Four different eosinophil granule proteins can be measured simultaneously.
• The multiplex assay requires 500-fold less serum than necessary for standard ELISA.
• Serum levels of MBP, ECP and EDN measured by ELISA and multiplex were correlated.
• AEC and CD69 expression were correlated with MBP, EDN and EPO concentrations.
• EGID subjects with normal AEC had increased levels of MBP, ECP, EDN and EPO compared to ND.

The concentrations of major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN) and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) have been associated with eosinophilic disease severity. Whereas a variety of techniques have been used to measure individual eosinophil granule protein concentration, none of these methods efficiently measures MBP, ECP, EDN and EPO simultaneously. A multiplex suspension array system was developed to simultaneously measure the concentrations of MBP, ECP, EDN and EPO in serum. The assay showed excellent inter- and intra-assay reliability, and serum levels of MBP, ECP and EDN from eosinophilic subjects analyzed by ELISA and multiplex were highly correlated (r = 0.8579; P < 0.0001, r = 0.6356; P = 0.0006 and r = 0.8600; P < 0.0001, respectively, Spearman rank correlation). Moreover, the multiplex assay required 500-fold less serum than a single ELISA to achieve comparable sensitivity. Absolute eosinophil count and eosinophil surface expression of the activation marker, CD69, were significantly correlated with concentrations of MBP, EDN and EPO, but not ECP, in serum from eosinophilic subjects. Furthermore, subjects with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder and normal peripheral absolute eosinophil counts (< 0.5 × 109/l) had significantly increased concentrations of MBP (P < 0.0001), ECP (P < 0.0001), EDN (P = 0.0001) and EPO (P < 0.0001) compared to normal donors. In summary, the eosinophil granule protein multiplex assay provides a rapid and reliable way to measure eosinophil granule protein levels and should prove useful in assessing patterns of degranulation in patients with eosinophilic disorders.