For organ transplant researchers looking to develop signatures pre- and post-transplant that may help determine risk of rejection and improve the understanding of transplant biology, the nCounter Human Organ Transplant Panel comprehensively profiles 770 genes across 37 pathways to identify biomarkers for rejection, uncover the mechanisms of tissue damage, and study toxicities brought on by immunosuppressive drugs.
- Discover biomarkers for organ rejection and tissue damage for kidney, heart, liver, and lung
- Evaluate immunosuppressive drug pathways
- Understand mechanisms behind drug-induced toxicity
- Identify BK Polyomavirus, Cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus
- Quantify the relative abundance of different immune cells
The Human Organ Transplant panel was created through a collaboration between NanoString and the Banff Foundation for Allograft Pathology, a global consortium of researchers from multiple prestigious institutes, including the University of Alberta, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Imperial College London, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Oxford and the Paris Transplant Group. The consortium aims to improve organ transplant outcomes through advanced molecular characterization of the in-situ response in the allograft and to make available a transformational new approach for research that can be used to accelerate the identification of new biomarkers of rejection, uncover the mechanisms behind tissue damage, and monitor toxicities brought on by immunosuppressive drugs and infections.
- Read the press release on the Introduction of the Human Organ Transplant Panel
- Read the Banff 2019 Meeting Report to learn more about how the content for the Human Organ Transplant panel was created and how the Banff Molecular Diagnostics Working Group (MDWG) plans to maximize data collected using the panel through the formation of a consortium and access to a shared database.
| Annotation |
| Adaptive Immune System |
| Angiogenesis |
| Apoptosis & Cell Cycle Regulation |
| Autophagy |
| B-Cell Receptor Signaling |
| Cell-ECM Interaction |
| Chemokine Signaling |
| Complement System |
| Cytokine Signaling |
| Cytosolic DNA Sensing |
| Cytotoxicity |
| Epigenetics & Transcription |
| Hematopoiesis |
| Inflammasomes |
| Innate Immune System |
| Lymphocyte Trafficking |
| MAPK |
| Metabolism |
| MHC Class I Antigen Presentation |
| MHC Class II Antigen Presentation |
| MTOR |
| NF-kB Signaling |
| NLR Signaling |
| Oxidative Stress |
| T-Cell Checkpoint Signaling |
| T-Cell Receptor Signaling |
| TGF-beta Signaling |
| Th1 Differentiation |
| Th17 Differentiation |
| Th17 Mediated Biology |
| Th2 Differentiation |
| Tissue Homeostasis |
| TNF Family Signaling |
| Toll-Like Receptor Signaling |
| Treg Differentiation |
| Type I Interferon Signaling |
| Type II Interferon Signaling |
Solid organ and hematopoietic transplant recipients are at increased risk for developing complications from opportunistic viral infections and may even inherit a viral infection from the donor. Knowing if a viral infection is present can be essential to understanding both the immune response and the potential impact of immunosuppressive treatments. Included in the Human Organ Transplant panel are probes specific for the detection of BK Polyomavirus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
| Virus | Gene(s) Detected |
| BK Polyomavirus | VP1, Large T Antigen |
| CMV | UL83 |
| EBV | LMP2 |
Probes included in the Human Organ Transplant Panel have been confirmed to also have high homology to non-human primates providing a valuable tool for translational comparative studies using both human and non-human samples.
Homology with Cynomolgus Monkey
| % identity | # Genes |
| >95% | 682 |
| >90% | 730 |
| >85% | 740 |
| >80% | 743 |
| Cell Type | Description |
| B Cells | B cells are the primary mediators of the humoral immune response, bearing antigen-specific B cell receptors and producing antibodies that can enable the immune system to respond to a broad variety of antigens. B cells can also function as MHC class II antigen presenting cells to stimulate T cell immunity. |
| T Cells | T-cells mediate cell-based immunity by recognizing primarily peptide antigens displayed on MHC class I or class II and either producing cytokines or directly killing the presenting cell. |
| TH1 | CD4+ T cell subset that produces IL2 and Interferon-gamma to promote cellular immunity by acting on CD8+ T Cells, NK Cells and Macrophages |
| Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) | CD4+ T Cells that suppress effector B and T Cells and play a central role in suppression of the immune response and tolerance to self-antigens |
| CD8+ T Cells | A subset of T cells that are capable of binding cognate-antigen expressing cells via class I MHC and directly lysing them via perforin and granzymes. |
| Exhausted CD8+ T Cells | T-cells overstimulated by antigen can develop an "exhausted" phenotype, in which they are no longer effective in targeting antigen-bearing cells. |
| Cytotoxic Cells | All cells capable of cytotoxic activity, which can include T, NKT, and NK-cells. |
| Dendritic Cells | Professional antigen presenting cells that internalize, process, and present antigens to lymphocytes via MHC class I and class II along with costimulatory signals to initiate cellular immune responses. |
| Macrophages | Pluripotent cells with critical roles in initiating innate and adaptive immune responses, phagocytosing abnormal cells, and regulating wound healing and tissue repair. |
| Mast Cells | Mast cells release histamine containing granules and other signals in order to promote inflammation and regulate allergic responses. |
| Neutrophils | Neutrophils are highly abundant cells that respond early to sites of infection or inflammation, phagocytose cellular debris, and promote downstream immunity. |
| Natural Killer (NK) Cells | Cytotoxic cells of the innate immune system that are a significant source of interferon-gamma and are capable of directly killing targeted cells via detection of a loss in MHC surface expression. |
| NK CD56dim cells | The amount of CD56 present on an NK cell is indicative of its age and differentiation state; CD56dim cells are mature NK cells, more commonly found in peripheral blood than secondary lymphoid tissues, and have the greatest cytolytic activity. |
| Feature | Specifications |
| Number of Targets | 770 (Human), including internal reference genes |
| Sample Input - Standard (No amplification required) | 25-300 ng |
| Sample Input - Low Input | As little as 1 ng with nCounter Low Input Kit (sold separately) |
| Sample Type(s) | Cultured cells/cell lysates, sorted cells, FFPE-derived RNA, total RNA, fragmented RNA, PBMCs, and whole blood/plasma |
| Customizable | Add up to 55 unique genes with Panel-Plus and up to 10 custom protein targets |
| Time to Results | Approximately 24 hours |
| Data Analysis | nSolver™ Analysis Software (RUO) |
- Danaher, P et al. Gene Expression Markers of Tumor Infiltrating Leukocytes. J Immunother Cancer. 2017;21(5):18.
- Reeve, J et al. Generating automated kidney transplant biopsy reports combining molecular measurements with ensembles of machine learning classifiers. Am J Transplant. 2019;1-13.
- Wu, H et al. Single-Cell Transcriptomics of a Human Kidney Allograft Biopsy Specimen Defines a Diverse Inflammatory Response. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2018;29:2069-80.
| Product | Product Description | Quantity | Catalog Number |
| nCounter Human Organ Transplant Panel | Includes 760 genes; 10 internal reference genes for data normalization | 12 Reactions | XT-CSO-HOT1-12 |
| nCounter Master Kit (MAX or FLEX Systems) Reagents and Cartridges | Reagents, cartridges, and consumables necessary for sample processing on nCounter MAX and FLEX Systems | 12 Reactions | NAA-AKIT-012 |
| nCounter SPRINT Cartridge 1 Cartridge, 12 lanes | Sample Cartridge for nCounter SPRINT System | 12 Reactions | SPRINT-CAR-1.0 |
| nCounter SPRINT Reagent Pack | nCounter SPRINT Reagent Pack containing Reagents A, B, C, and Hybridization Buffer | 192 Reactions | SPRINT-REAG-KIT |
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
