Cytokine Detection Kit

Introduction

Cytokines are a class of signaling proteins that serve as critical molecular mediators in the immune system. The immune system comprises a complex network of specialized cells and biological processes that collectively defend the host against pathogenic threats, including viral and bacterial infections, as well as other harmful foreign substances. Through intercellular communication, cytokines regulate and coordinate the activities of immune cells to mount appropriate defensive responses against these invading pathogens.

Even in the absence of pathogenic challenge, cytokines maintain basal immunoregulatory functions, ensuring homeostatic immune surveillance and cellular communication.

Inflammation is body's protective response to foreign subjects, pathogens, tissue damage, autoimmune and other harmful stimuli. It is initiated by production of a cascade of chemicals and cytokines in affected area. These pro-inflammatory mediators result in vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, influx of blood, plasma leakage, neutrophil and macrophage infiltration and activation. Inflammatory reaction plays an important role in limiting foreign substance and engulfing pathogens and tissue debris.

Acute inflammation is the initial phase to eliminate invaded foreign substances, pathogens and other harmful stimuli. If the stimuli persist, chronic inflammation will evolve. Progressive tissue destruction and shifting cell types occurs simultaneously during chronic inflammation. The cytokine profiles that regulate the procedure are different depending on the causes, location and progress of the inflammation.

Technology Highlights

Method Overview:This multiplexed protein quantification method is based on a flow cytometric detection system. It combines immunological analysis with flow cytometry by utilizing capture microspheres encapsulated with specific cytokine antibodies of varying fluorescence intensities.

Procedure:The microspheres bind to cytokines in samples or standards, forming a ‘sandwich’ complex with biotin-labeled cytokine detection antibodies. Finally, the complex reacts with phycoerythrin-labeled streptavidin (SA-PE).

Detection:The cytokine content in the samples can then be quantified by flow cytometry through fluorescence detection.

Clinical Indications

Cytokine storm can induce rapid and massive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-β, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-α, IFN-γ, etc.), leading to excessive immune cell aggregation at the site of inflammation, resulting in tissue congestion, oedema, fever, injury, and even sepsis, and in severe cases, can lead to depletion of immune cells and thus cause multi-organ failure leading to death.

1.Diagnostic & Monitoring Significance: Cytokine detection serves as a crucial biomarker for diagnosing immune/inflammatory diseases (autoimmunity, infections, sepsis, cancer), differentiating disease types, assessing activity (e.g., RA, IBD), and monitoring treatment response. It's vital for early identification and severity stratification of conditions like sepsis and cytokine storms (e.g., severe COVID-19, CAR-T therapy).

2.Therapeutic & Prognostic Guidance: Cytokine levels guide treatment decisions and predict outcomes. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6) often indicate poor prognosis. Detection informs selection and monitoring of targeted biologics (anti-TNF-α, anti-IL-6R) and is essential for managing immunotherapies (CAR-T, checkpoint inhibitors), predicting efficacy and severe adverse events like Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS).

3.Personalized Medicine Foundation: Profiling cytokine networks enables personalized treatment strategies by identifying patient subgroups likely to respond to specific therapies, optimizing treatment selection, and evaluating novel targeted interventions (e.g., cytokine-specific antibodies). It underpins precision medicine in immune and inflammatory disorders.