Comparison of three multiplex immunoassays for biomarker analysis in stratum corneum tape strips

This study compared three multiplex immunoassay platforms, Meso Scale Discovery (MSD), NULISA, and Olink, for detecting protein markers in stratum corneum tape strips, a non-invasive sampling method challenged by low protein yield. We evaluated 30 shared proteins across all three platforms, plus 9 additional proteins shared only between MSD and NULISA, and 1 between MSD and OLINK, using samples from non-lesional skin and skin affected by patch test-induced irritant and allergic contact dermatitis, and clinical hand dermatitis. Proteins were considered detectable when more than 50% of samples exceeded the platform’s protein-specific detection limit. MSD demonstrated the highest sensitivity, detecting 70% of shared proteins, followed by NULISA (30%) and Olink (16.7%). Four proteins, CXCL8, VEGFA, IL18, and CCL2, were detected by all three platforms with interclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.5 to 0.86. The three platforms exhibited similar differential expression patterns between control and dermatitis-affected skin, supporting overall concordance. MSD uniquely provided absolute protein concentrations, enabling normalization for variable SC content, while NULISA and Olink required smaller sample volumes and fewer assay runs. Generalizability to other diseases and biomarkers requires further investigation.