Cytokines play a key role in the immunobiology of swine, and have the potential to improve the management of these animals. A comprehensive understanding of swine immunology requires the accurate quantification of cytokine messenger RNA molecules to analyze the dynamics of cytokine gene expression. Swine gene expression research has been hampered by reliance on traditional methods of mRNA detection (e.g. Northern blots, RT-PCR, and ribonuclease protection assays) which cannot provide rapid and quantitative results. Endogen has developed a novel mRNA assay system to provide same day results that are sensitive, and accurate quantitative assays for porcine IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 IL- 12, TNF, and IFN
Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications of Research: The swine mRNA assays developed in Phase I of this proposal will be marketed as research-use-only products to aid swine immunobiology research. These mRNA assays will complement the swine cytokine ELISAs that are being developed and marketed by Endogen.
