ELISA Kits: Assays For Quantifying Cytokine Release
What Are Cytokines?
Cytokines are a broad group of soluble and transient bioactive proteins that range in size from 6 to 70 kilodaltons (kDa) (1). These pleiotropic and redundant (2) proteins act via autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine signaling mechanisms to produce effects that can be additive, antagonistic or synergistic. Cytokines are secreted by immune cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, B cells and T cells to modulate immune responses (1). Cytokines are very bioactive, and as such, circulating levels are typically low in healthy people. Immunotherapy or viral infections can stimulate excessive cytokine secretion or even cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Also known as the cytokine storm, CRS is a systemic inflammatory response that has symptoms ranging from mild fever to death. Given the broad range of cytokine effects, a great deal of effort is aimed at quantifying secretion as part of an immunotherapy or viral infection workflow. Although a wide variety of assays are available for measuring cytokines, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are one of the most commonly used tools in cytokine research and development.
Why Use ELISAs to Quantify Cytokines?
ELISAs are the workhorse assay for measuring secreted cytokines. They are a scalable, straightforward and effective tool for measuring cytokines. R&D Systems, a Bio-Techne brand has a long history of developing and measuring cytokines. Cytokine ELISA Kits allow researchers to accurately measure the levels of specific cytokines under physiological and pathological conditions in biological samples such as plasma, serum, tissue culture supernatants, and urine, which can provide valuable insight into the changes associated with different disease states. Specific cytokines of interest include interleukins, interferons, chemokines, and members of the tumor necrosis factor and TGF-beta superfamilies.
Quantikine® ELISAs represent the highest quality, most published ELISA on the market. Use these, gold-standard ready-to-use ELISAs to accurately and reliably quantify cytokine secretion. Simple Plex platform which features ELLA, is an automated ELISA that saves time, sample volume and reduces user error. This assay is particularly useful for maintaining assay accuracy and precision in large populations across disparate geographies.
Why Use ELISpot Assays to Measure Cytokines?
Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assays are used to detect and enumerate cells that are secreting cytokines. This scalable assay is particularly useful for quantifying secretion of low abundance cytokines. ELISpots are ideal for measuring 1 or 2 cytokines simultaneously and use chromogenic or fluorescent methods to visualize cytokines. R&D Systems has both ready-to-use ELISpots as well as do-it-yourself development modules. We have a number of Interferon Gamma (IFN-γ) dual-color ELISpot assays available.
Choose the Right ELISA or ELISpot Assay for Your Needs
Fully validated ready-to-run ELISA kits with superior performance. Our Quantikine ELISA kits are the most published ELISA brand on the market.
A branch of our Quantikine ELISA offering, but with added sensitivity. These are ideal for detecting a low-abundance protein in serum and plasma samples.
Another branch of our Quantikine ELISA, but these can be run in a fraction of the time. Time to results is 90 minutes.
DuoSet ELISAs are do-it-yourself development kits so you can have some flexibility and save some money.
Automate your ELISA with Ella. Save on time and labor with these highly validated assays with the added benefit of multi-analyte detection.
Detect and enumerate cells that are secreting cytokines. Available in many formats with detection of up to 2 cytokines at once.
ELISA Kits for the Most Popular Cytokines
| Activin A | FGF-21 | IL-15 | PlGF |
| Adiponectin | G-CSF | IL-17 | RBP4 |
| Angiopoietin-2 | GDF-15 | IL-18 | Serpin E1 |
| ANGPTL3 | GDF-8 | IL-1ra | Serum Amyloid A |
| BAFF | GM-CSF | IL-2 | SOST |
| BMP-2 | HGF | IL-22 | ST2 |
| CCL17 | IFN-alpha | IL-33 | TGF-beta 1 |
| CCL18 | IFN-beta | IL-4 | TGF-beta 2 |
| CCL2 | IFN-gamma | IL-5 | Thrombopoietin |
| CCL4 | IGF-I | IL-6 | TNF RI |
| CCL5 | IL-1 alpha | IL-6R alpha | TNF RII |
| CD25 | IL-1 beta | IL-8 | TNF-alpha |
| EGF | IL-10 | Leptin | VEGF |
| FGF basic | IL-12 p70 | Lipocalin-2 | VEGFR1 |
| FGF-19 | IL-13 | PDGF-BB |
Cytokine ELISpot Assays
| Apolipoprotein A-I | Granzyme B | IL-2 | MMP-1 |
| BDNF | IFN-gamma | IL-23 | MMP-3 |
| CCL5 | IL-1 beta | IL-31 | MMP-7 |
| CXCL10 | IL-10 | IL-4 | MMP-9 |
| CXCL9 | IL-12 p40 | IL-5 | TGF-beta 1 |
| Fas Ligand | IL-13 | IL-6 | TIMP-1 |
| GDNF | IL-16 | IL-8 | TNF-alpha |
| GM-CSF | IL-17 | IL-9 |
References
- Stenken, J. A. and A. J. Poschenrieder (2015) Anal Chim Acta. 853:95
- Ozaki, K. and W.J. Leonard (2002) JBC. 277:29355