Canine IL-8/CXCL8 Antibody

Interleukin 8 (IL-8), also named monocyte-derived neutrophil chemotactic factor (MDNCF), neutrophil-activating protein 1 (NAP-1), neutrophil-activating factor (NAF) and granulocyte chemotactic peptide (GCP), belongs to the Glu-Leu-Arg motif containing (ELR⁺) CXC chemokine family and has been designated CXCL8. IL-8 is a potent neutrophil chemoattractant that recruits neutrophils to sites of inflammation. IL-8 also activates neutrophil functions and through a poorly understood mechanism, promotes angiogenesis. The biological activites of IL-8 is mediated by two types of G protein-coupled chemokine receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2. In normal tissues, IL-8 expression and secretion is barely detectable. Upon stimulation by a wide range of pro-inflammatory signals including exposure to IL-1, TNF, bacterial or viral products, IL-8 production is rapidly induced in many different cell types. Secreted IL-8 is not glycosylated but has N-terminal sequence heterogenecity due to proteolytic processing. In human, two major forms, the 72 amino acid (aa) monocyte-derived IL-8 and the 77 aa endothelial IL-8 have been identified. Whereas the 72 aa isoform is a more potent chemoattractant, only the 77 aa isoform can induce apoptosis in leukemic cells. The N-terminal pentapeptide in the 77 aa isoform has been identified as the active site for the IL-8 apoptotic activity. Canine IL-8 encodes a 101 aa precursor protein with a putative 22 aa signal peptide. It shares 77% and 87% aa sequence identity with human and porcine IL-8, respectively. Similar to human IL-8, recombinant canine IL-8 also undergoes
N‑terminal processing. Two major peptides (the 79 aa and 74 aa variants that differ by an analogous N-terminal pentapeptide) are present in the recombinant canine IL-8 preparations.