The VeriKine Cynomolgus/Rhesus IFN-alpha Serum ELISA has been developed to analyze the presence of non-human primate IFN-alpha in tissue culture media or serum samples by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This kit will enable determination of IFN-alpha levels in serum, plasma and tissue culture media (TCM). The kit can measure concentrations as low as 25 pg/ml of Cynomolgus and Rhesus monkey interferon alpha in a sample. The kit is based on an ELISA with a biotinylated anti-detection antibody and a streptavidin horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) is the substrate. The assay is based on PBL’s Rhesus/Cynomolgus IFNA-α2 (PBL 14110), which has been calibrated in reference to the International Standard to Human Interferon Alpha-2a. As such, it should prove an important tool in virology, immunomodulation and immunotoxicology studies conducted in non-human primates.

Interferons (IFNs) are a group of cytokines which exhibit pleiotropic activities that play major roles in both innate and adaptive immunity. Type I IFNs consist of at least one IFN-β gene and protein as well as multiple IFN-α genes and proteins in most vertebrate species. 

IFN-α expression and secretion is primarily induced by signaling events processed through pattern recognition receptors such as the Toll-like and RIG-I like receptors (TLR and RLR, respectively). While IFN-α can be produced by most cell types, strong evidence suggests that plasmacytoid dendritic cells are a major source of IFN-α in vivo. The interferon alpha gene family is comprised of multiple distinct genes that occupy a single chromosomal locus. All sequenced vertebrate species possess a large number of distinct alpha genes suggesting a biological significance to maintaining multiple copies of IFN-alpha genes. Published reports have shown the expression patterns of the individual IFN-alpha proteins and their cell specific function can vary suggesting unique properties of each gene in a cell dependent manner.

Following expression and secretion, IFN-α binds to a heterodimeric receptor chain consisting of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits on proximal and distal cell suraces. Receptor binding promotes a signal transduction cascade consisting of components of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Hundreds of genes are regulated subsequent to binding of the IFNAR receptor subunits to IFN-α, thus leading to the antiviral, anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory activities of the cytokine. 

Two nonhuman primate species, Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques, are sufficiently genetically similar to humans that they are emerging as highly relevant animal models for studying various aspects of human physiology. For example, macaques provide valuable surrogate models for examining the pathogenicity of human viral infections such as the 1918 pandemic influenza virus. Furthermore, macaques are included in the evaluation of many new therapeutic agents aimed at modulating host immunity to either enhance or dampen immune responses. These primates also serve as important immunotoxicological models in the testing of human pharmaceuticals.