Human IL-15 ELISA Kit

INTENDED USE

This Human Interleukin-15 ELISA Kit is to be used for the in vitro quantitative determination of human interleukin 15 (IL-15) concentrations in serum, plasma, and cell culture supernatant. This kit is intended FOR LABORATORY RESEARCH USE ONLY and is not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. 

INTRODUCTION 

Interleukin-15 (IL-15), a modest 14-15 kDa glycoprotein, is produced by monocytes and dendritic cells and at maturity reaches 114 amino acid residues in length.  IL-15 is a member of the four a helix bound cytokine family that includes IL-2, IL-3, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7 and IL-9. Although the structure of IL-15 has not been determined, it is predicted to be similar to IL-2 and other members of the four-helix bundle cytokine family. IL-15 mRNA has been discovered in the placenta, skeletal muscle, kidneys, lungs, heart, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and monocytes. Human IL-15 shares approximately 97% and 73% amino acid sequence identity with simian and mouse IL-15, respectively. Both human and simian IL-15 molecules are active with mouse cells. 

The biological activities of IL-15 are comparable to IL-2: IL-15 induces the proliferation of activated CD4-CD8-, CD4+CD8+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells and dendritic epidermal T cells. IL-15 co-stimulates proliferation of B cells activated with immobilized anti-human IgM or phorbol ester, but has no stimulatory effect on resting B cells. In combination with recombinant CD40L, IL-15 is a potent inducer of polyclonal IgM, IgG1, and IgA secretion, but does not cause production of IgG4 or IgE. The development, survival, and activation of natural killer (NK) cells is related to IL-15. IL-15 also affects the non-lymphoid tissues, such as muscle, brain, microglia, and mast cells. Abnormal levels of IL-15 have been reported in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and in diseases associated with the retroviruses HIV and HTLV-I.

This IL-15 ELISA is a ready-to-use 3.5-hour solid phase immunoassay readily capable of measuring IL-15 levels in serum, plasma, cell culture supernatant, and other biological fluids in the range of 0 to 2000 pg/mL.  This assay has shown no cross-reactivity with other cytokines tested, and is expected to be used effectively for further investigations into the relationship between IL-15 and the various conditions mentioned.