title: Measurement of human and mouse interleukin 18.
abstract: IL-18, originally designated as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-inducing factor (IGIF), is a pleiotropic cytokine secreted by activated macrophages and Kupffer cells. The major activity associated with this cytokine is induction of IFN-gamma production from T cells, B cells, and NK cells, especially in collaboration with IL-12. IL-18 is synthesized without a signal peptide and must be enzymatically cleaved to become active. Therefore, it is important to determine whether the produced IL-18 is an active or precursor form. This unit describes functional assays for measurement of bioactive human and mouse IL-18 and ELISAs for measurement of murine and human IL-18 proteins. The functional assays are based on the induction of IFN-gamma production by IL-18. The ELISA measures the concentration of human or mouse IL-18. Using a combination of monoclonal antibodies against human or mouse IL-18, the proform and/or mature form of IL-18 can be detected by ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma