Equine tumor necrosis factor alpha: cloning and expression in Escherichia coli, generation of monoclonal antibodies, and development of a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

We describe the production and purification of recombinant equine tumor necrosis factor alpha (rETNF alpha), generation and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and rabbit polyclonal antibodies (Pabs) against ETNF alpha, and development of a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genomic-derived DNA sequences encoding mature ETNF alpha were reconstructed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and were cloned into the vector pFLAG-1 for expression in Escherichia coli. rETNF alpha was purified by anti-FLAG immunoaffinity chromatography and then used as immunogen for production of murine Mabs and rabbit Pabs. Three Mabs (6H4, 9B10, and 12F6) were obtained from one fusion. All three Mabs recognized rETNF alpha on western blots. Mabs 6H4 and 9B10 recognized similar epitopes on rENTF alpha and neutralized both rETNF alpha and native ETNF alpha (nETNF alpha) in a WEHI cell cytotoxicity assay. A sensitive ELISA was developed using Mab 6H4 and biotin-labeled rabbit Pabs. The ELISA was shown to detect levels of ENTF alpha as low as 100 pg/ml and was used to demonstrate the induction of ETNF alpha in horses with experimental endotoxemia. The rETNF alpha, antibodies, and ELISA developed in this report should be useful tools for studies of TNF-mediated diseases in horses.