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The influence of the blood handling process on the measurement of circulating TGF-β1 Volume 23, numéro 1, March 2012

Auteurs
Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Cancer Institute and Hospital, Beijing, 100021, China, Department of Radiation Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, 300060, China, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA, Department of Radiation Oncology, Ann Arbor Veteran Administration Health Center, Ann Arbor, 48105, USA

In order to evaluate the impact of blood sample handling processes on circulating TGF-β1 levels, blood specimens were obtained from 13 healthy volunteers using different handling processes (kept at room temperature (RT) or on ice before centrifugation, using different centrifugal forces). TGF-β1 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A paired-T test was used for statistical analysis. The TGF-β1 level in on-ice serum was significantly lower than that in room-temperature serum (P<0.001), and both were significantly higher than that found in on-ice plasma (P<0.001). Compared with on-ice plasma samples, the longer the samples were kept at RT, the higher the levels of TGF-β1 in plasma (P=0.268, 0.040, and 0.0015 for 5 min, 30 min, and 60 min in RT, respectively). Compared with plasma centrifuged at 2,500×g for 30 min, the TGF-β1 levels were much lower than those found in plasma centrifuged at 1,200×g for 10 min (P=0.003); and a double centrifugation before TGF-β1 detection, significantly decreased the level (P<0.001). It is suggested that the optimal sampling conditions for the detection of TGF-β1 should be plasma prepared on ice and spun down at a higher centrifugal force.