Serum α2-macroglobulin and cytokine measurements in an acute inflammation model in rats

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for rat alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) using a monoclonal antibody was developed, and used to measure alpha2M in sera from rats injected intramuscularly with turpentine oil as an inflammatory agent. The mean concentration of alpha2M gradually increased and peaked 2 days after the turpentine oil injection. The peak alpha2M concentration ranged from 2362-8472 mug/ml (mean 4531 mug/ml), which was 50-290 times higher than the pre-dosing levels of 23-61 mug/ml. In addition, interleukins (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and interferon (IFN)-gamma were measured using commercial ELISA reagent kits. IL-6 and IL-8 increased and peaked 12h after turpentine oil injection, the levels being 5-51 times and 2-38 times the pre-dosing ones, respectively. The concentrations of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-gamma in rats injected with turpentine oil did not change.